Supervision-of-Supervision (Regional Peer Networks) / 2008-09

Since 2004, The Bouverie Centre has been providing training to the AOD field in the area of clinical supervision. The current project, funded by the Department of Human Services, seeks to build on this and add to the body of knowledge on how to best provide and support clinical supervision in AOD services in Victoria.

The project has two facets: to audit current supervision practices, and to review the impact of the recently delivered Clinical Supervision Training. This is being achieved through:
•    focus group discussions with Clinical Supervisors;
•    in depth telephone interviews with Service Managersp; and
•    a web based survey of supervisees and staff.

The other part of the project is the establishment of four pilot Supervision of Supervisors Groups (SOS Groups) for graduates of the Clinical Supervision Training. The groups aim to provide an opportunity for supervisors to:
•    gain professional support;
•    build on knowledge gained in the course;
•    contribute to their ongoing development as a supervisor; and
•    share practice wisdom with other graduate supervisors through the processes of case presentations and discussions.

Currently, there are two groups comprised of supervisors from various organisations meeting in Geelong and Box Hill. Three agency-specific SOS Groups are also being developed.

Upon the project’s completion, we will be able to document what supervision practices are working well and what gaps exist and communicate this back to the field. We will also propose a model of how to best support supervisors in their role.

For a list of questions to consider during peer supervision, click here.

Click here to download a copy of:  Clare Amies and Shane Weir, ‘Using Reflective Group Supervision to Enhance Practice Knowledge,’ in Joy Higgs and Angie Titchen (eds.), Practice Knowledge and Expertise in the Health Professions, Butterworth Heinemann, Oxford, 2001.

Click here to download a copy of: Kerry Proctor, ‘The Bells that Ring: A Process for Group Supervision … or What to do When a Client Slips from your Grasp and becomes Owned by Everyone Else in the Room!’, in The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy, Vol. 18, No. 4, 1997, pp. 217-220.

For further information about this, please contact Sally Ryan.

Sally Ryan
s.ryan@latrobe.edu.au
Ph. 9385 5100