“I finally found a place where I could have some safety”: A mixed-methods evaluation of non-clinical safe spaces for emotional distress and/or suicidal crisis

‘Safe Spaces’ are novel interventions that provide non–clinical, peer–led services for people experiencing emotional distress and/or suicidal crisis. To date, little empirical research has examined these service models, particularly from the perspective of those accessing and using them. Led by a team of lived experience researchers and using a convergent mixed-methods study design, this study examined whether safe spaces are a feasible and effective approach to supporting people experiencing varying degrees of emotional distress, including a suicidal crisis. Results showed that multiple features of safe space models, including the physical environment and approach to care taken by peer workers, had considerable therapeutic value, resulting in improved outcomes and reduced distress for guests. However, growing demand for services coupled with restricted resourcing and the implementation of protocols for managing guest entry and exit had implications for the perceived quality of care and how guests experienced the service. While safe spaces mark a transformative shift in the provision of care and support for people experiencing emotional distress and/or suicidal crisis, greater resourcing and attention to personal models of recovery are needed to maximise the benefits that can be gained from this model of care.