Status: National Workforce Competence (NWC)
This workforce competence is about your making use of a supervisor and supervisory sessions to enable you to develop your professional competence and work with individuals reliably, consistently, effectively, ethically and safely. Your supervisor may be internal or external to your agency, and may be an experienced practitioner working in a similar position to yourself. Many agencies use peer supervision or group supervision to good effect.
Users of this competence will need to ensure that practice reflects up to date information and policies.This workforce competence has indicative links with the following dimension and level within the NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework (October 2004):
Core 2: Personal and people development
Level 3: Develop oneself and contribute to the development of others
This section provides explanations and definitions of the terms used in this workforce competence. In competences, it is quite common to find words or phrases used which you will be familiar with, but which, in the detail of the competence, may be used in a very particular way.
This section provides guidance on possible areas to be covered in this competence.
| Accountability
| May include: a) of different people b) of organisations |
| Aims and objectives of supervision
| May include: a) self monitoring b) monitoring your work to ensure it remains of benefit to individuals c) practical management of individuals |
| Anxieties around supervision
| May include a) feelings of competitiveness b) exposure c) envy d) anger e) desire to please f) issues of control g) avoidance of difficult issues h) personal feelings towards supervisor i) power relationships |
| Needs | May include: a) clinical focus b) professional monitoring of practice c) professional development d) learning needs e) repertoire of skills |
| Supervision
| May include: a) orientation of the supervisor b) congruence with your own theoretical model c) appropriateness for your current work d) relevant experience and degree of expertise, knowledge and seniority |
| Unresolved issues | May include a) differences of opinion or approach b) breakdown of trust c) failure of expectations d) unmet expectations e) collusion f) issues of power and control |
You need to:
1 identify the nature of the supervision you require
2 assess the available supervision in relation to your identified needs
3 select a qualified supervisor to best meet your needs
4 identify the role and value of supervision as a key component in professional practice
5 seek the frequency of supervision necessary for safe effective practice
6 clarify the context, accountability and arrangements for supervision, and explore the implications of these with your supervisor
7 clarify and agree with your supervisor:
a) roles
b) joint responsibilities
c) commitments
d) aims and objectives
e) ways of working
f) arrangements for monitoring and reviewing the supervision
g) the timing and process of changing or ending the supervisory relationship
8 negotiate a supervisory contract with your supervisor which:
a) meets the identified purposes of the supervision
b) identifies the content and agenda for each supervisory session with your supervisor
9 recognise appropriate cases and aspects of your work which require attention in supervision
10 bring mistakes and difficult moments in therapeutic practice to supervision
11 manage and use the anxieties around supervision to engage in non-defensive reflection, during and following, supervision
12 develop the ability to question and challenge your supervisor and use this as a tool for your own development
13 use your reflections on the supervisory relationship in supervision and to inform aspects of your work with individuals
14 review the process, outcomes and continuing effectiveness of supervision against the aims and objectives
15 consider any possible changes to the current supervision
16 identify unresolved issues, future supervision requirements and ways of achieving these.
You need to apply:
Legislation, policy and good practice
K1. a working knowledge of your organisation's policy on confidentiality
K2. a working knowledge of your own professional competence and its limitations
Reflective practice
K3. a working knowledge of different approaches to supervision and how to evaluate their relevance to your work
K4. a working knowledge of ways of addressing any conflict between the needs of your organisation and your personal needs
K5. a working knowledge of ways of organising and presenting work for supervision
K6. a working knowledge of how to prioritise and make best use of time in supervision
K7. a working knowledge of professional requirements and procedures for supervision
K8. a working knowledge of how to create an agenda for supervision
K9. a working knowledge of how to choose an appropriate method of case work presentation
K10. a working knowledge of ways of reviewing supervision
K11. a working knowledge of your responses to difficulties in case work and bringing these to supervision
K12. a working knowledge of your own feelings towards supervision and your supervisor
K13. a working knowledge of potential blocks to you making the best use of supervision
K14. a working knowledge of your personal needs and where these should be addressed
K15. a working knowledge of your feelings about being held accountable
K16. a working knowledge of your feelings about change and endings and the significance of change or ending his relationship
K17. a working knowledge of your previous experience of endings
K18. a working knowledge of different working practices in supervision
Working relationships
K19. a working knowledge of your relationship with your supervisor
K20. a working knowledge of the potential for the supervisory relationship.
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