TAL Risk Academy launches new Client Care Series to help advisers better support clients experiencing vulnerability

Leading Australian life insurer, TAL, has announced the launch of the TAL Risk Academy's Client Care Series, featuring new live and on-demand content designed to provide advisers with tools to support their clients’ mental health and wellbeing.

The Client Care Series starts on 13 September, in the lead-up to Mental Health Awareness Month in October. The courses will count towards advisers’ CPD requirements.

The Client Care Series will feature two webinars that will then be made available ‘on demand’, delivered jointly by TAL’s Head of Mental Health, Glenn Baird, and Mental Health Coordinator, Vaish Harishanker.

The first webinar, titled Mental Wellbeing: Supporting At-Risk Clients (13 September), will focus on understanding and identifying indicators that might suggest a person is at a heightened risk of self-harm, and discuss appropriate support services and how to connect at-risk and vulnerable clients with the help they need.

Speaking about the Client Care Series, Glenn Baird said having conversations with vulnerable or at-risk clients can be emotionally demanding and challenging for advisers.

“It can be difficult to have conversations around sensitive topics but there are certain skills and tools which can assist.”

“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.”

"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.”

The second webinar in the series, Identifying and Engaging with Vulnerable Clients (20 September), provides attendees with a framework for identifying and effectively communicating with vulnerable groups in their client base through a person-centred approach.

“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,” Mr Baird said.

The need for advisor-focused education on mental health is reflected in a recent TAL survey of Australian financial advisors – 68 per cent of respondents said receiving training on how to support their clients going through an emotional time would help them provide the best possible service to clients during the claims process.

To learn more about the TAL Risk Academy's new Client Care Series and other course content, financial advisers can visit TAL Risk Academy website.

A qualified psychotherapist, facilitator and trainer with over 14 years’ experience, Glenn Baird has mainly worked with suicidal clients from diverse backgrounds, including professional athletes, corporate lawyers and tradespeople.