Angela Bailey
H & SC Level 5 – Unit 511
1.1 Supervision is practised widely in the Health and Social care industry. Supervision involves regular meetings, reflection and monitoring of the performance of a worker. The principles, scope and purpose of professional supervision is to gain competence from staff, make workers accountable for their performance, and create continuing professional development. The purpose of professional supervision allows an opportunity for employer and worker to come together to reflect on work practise, and to then carry out an evaluation of that work through discussion, report and observation. Supervision addresses the need to develop knowledge and skills, and consistency with quality. It also ensures that standards are maintained, and policies and procedures are followed and understood by staff. Supervision also facilitates the supporting of staff through learning from experience, and reflection on working practices.
1.2 There are several different theories and models of supervision.
Developmental Model – this is the idea that individuals are continuously growing. Personal experience and individual characteristics combine, and workers develop strengths and growth areas. The objective of supervision from this perspective is to maximize and identify growth needed for the future. Using this method, it is fairly typical to be continuously identifying new areas of growth, in a life-long learning process.
For supervisors employing a developmental approach to supervision, the key is to accurately identify the workers current stage of development, and provide them with feedback and support, which is appropriate to that stage of development. While doing this, it is also important to facilitate the supervisee’s progression onto the next stage when ready. This type of supervision recognises the different stages that a supervisee is at in their role, and the different levels of support that they need. As a novice the supervisee...
