TAL's financial adviser education platform, TAL Risk Academy, has launched a new series to help advisers better support clients experiencing vulnerability.
Named “Client Care Series,” the new series features live and on-demand content designed to provide advisers with tools to support their clients' mental health and wellbeing. The courses will count towards advisers' CPD requirements.
“It can be difficult to have conversations around sensitive topics, but there are certain skills and tools which can assist,” said Glenn Baird, head of mental health at TAL. “At the same time, the groups of clients that we might consider vulnerable and in need of additional support have continued to change, particularly post-COVID.”
The new series will commence on Sept. 13 ahead of the Mental Health Awareness Month in October. They will feature two webinars that will then become available on demand, delivered jointly by Glenn Baird and TAL mental health coordinator Vaish Harishanker.
The first webinar, titled “Mental Wellbeing: Supporting At-Risk Clients,” will commence on Sept. 13. It will focus on understanding and identifying indicators that might suggest a person is at a heightened risk of self-harm. It will also discuss appropriate support services and how to connect at-risk and vulnerable clients with the help they need.
The second webinar, titled “Identifying and Engaging with Vulnerable Clients,” will commence on Sept. 20. It will provide a framework for identifying and effectively communicating with vulnerable groups in the attendees' client base through a person-centred approach.
“These two new modules have been designed to help advisers identify and support vulnerable or at-risk clients and understand the options for enhancing their access to support,” Baird said. “As an organisation committed to supporting the health and financial wellbeing of Australians, our in-house Health Services Team plays an active role in enhancing advisers' level of understanding and knowledge around mental health to help them feel more confident supporting clients who may be vulnerable.”
TAL Risk Academy released the new series in response to a recent TAL survey of Australian financial advisors. The survey revealed that 68% of respondents said receiving training on how to support clients going through an emotional time would help them provide the best possible service during the claims service.
In July, TAL announced that it will introduce six new courses in TAL Risk Academy's tailored course program for July to December 2023.
