Supervision: ensures work practice is
of a high quality, ethical and safe
Supervision has been demonstrated to
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be the key that unlocks the door to improved staff retention and turnover, job satisfaction, reduced worker burnout, and, indirectly, to the quality of client care.
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provide a regular space to reflect upon the content and process of work practice.
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develop the ability to be pro-active rather than re-active.
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constantly re-define and improve skills throughout professional life.
What This Process
is About
Mutual learning relationship
Treatment, planning
Feedback, reflecting
Clarifying issues
Non-judgmental
Ethical, Boundary and safety issues
Contracting to focus the session
Place for professional growth
Elements of education
A positive experience
Enhancing self-esteem
Sharing of expertise / resources
Opportunity to review practice
Client / work focused
What This Process
is Not About
Advice giving, rescuing
Gratifying needs of supervisor
Chat session / gossiping
Not just back patting
Handing over responsibility
Personal Therapy
Abuse or criticism
Performance assessment
A quick fix
Question and Answer session
Power struggle
Time out
Punishment (for correction)
Codependant relationship
Research shows that supervision is most effective for supervisees, their organisations and their clients, when the supervisee knows how to establish and maintain a constructive supervisory relationship and to fully engage in the supervision process. It is recommended that any supervisee have some introduction to the process in order to become an active participant in, and to make the best use of, their supervision.
The role of the Supervisor is to facilitate a process that allows critical reflection of one's work practice in an environment that is supportive and non-judgemental. The issues that are discussed and the outcomes that are decided upon in order to address them, are driven by the supervisee. The Supervisor monitors ethical, safety and boundary issues, while being a catalyst to promote in-depth thought and awareness of these issues. The work undertaken is confidential.
Supervision is not about fixing wrong action or a function of line management in relation to work.
It is more like this:
WORK ISSUES
CLIENTS
PRACTICE
SUPERVISOR
PRACTITIONER
This
Relationship
Is E x p l o r e d
In This Relationship
It is not helpful to engage in the process with a line-manager (or other authority figures within the workplace) as issues that involve work policies, practices, personnel and clients are dealt with. The focus is to develop and increase one's personal responsibility and effectiveness in dealing with work issues and to do this with an external Supervisor avoids any conflict of interest within the supervisory forum.
If you are thinking of engaging in supervision
it is recommended that you first do some research in order to find someone that
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has reputable and specific training in this area
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shares your values and philosophy
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you feel comfortable with.
The work you will engage in will be challenging personally, and we all need to feel safe in order to do it honestly, so as to gain maximum benefit from it. It is not necessary that they work in the same discipline that you do.
"It's all about Developing People Potential"