newbarn school | guildford road, broadbridge …€¦ · web viewgenerally supervisors should...

Appendix C

SUPERVISION POLICY

Signature (Author)

Simon Reynolds

Issue date 09.11.2018

Review Date 09.11.2019

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Appendix C

Supervision Policy

Definition

Supervision is a process in which one worker (Registered manager/Deputy manager/Team leader) is given responsibility to work with another worker in order to meet agreed statutory, organisational, professional and personal objectives. These objectives are competent and accountable performance, continuing professional development and personal support.

Principles

Staff at all levels have a right to receive regular, planned supervision with their line manager and have a responsibility to contribute positively to the supervision process

Supervision is an integral and crucial element in the delivery of quality care to young people not an optional addition to it. As such, supervision should be regarded as a high priority activity within the organisation

Supervision is a multi-faceted activity which involves management, support, development and mediation issues

Supervision is most effective when it is mandated by the organisation and based on a fairly negotiated contract in which both parties have responsibility for the outcome of the process

Managers/supervisors at all levels require training and ongoing support if they are to offer effective supervision to their staff

It is important to recognize the potential for the abuse of position and authority within the supervisory relationship and to take steps to actively promote anti-discriminatory/anti-oppressive practice

The needs of staff change over time. Supervision contracts should be reviewed annually with a third party to make any adjustments and ensure ongoing anti- discriminatory/anti-oppressive practice

Aims

To comply with the expectations contained in “Working Together to Safeguard Children (2015)” and “Children’s Homes Regulations and Quality Standards 2015 in relation to staff supervision and support.

To support the process of continuous improvement and to promote an ethos within Treehouse Educare which is constructively critical of its performance and which actively seeks opportunities to improve and develop

To ensure that all staff receive the necessary advice, assistance, support and guidance they require to discharge their duties to agreed acceptable standards and achieve best outcomes for young people

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To confirm Treehouse Educare as an Equal Opportunities employer with a firm commitment to anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive practice

Objectives

To ensure that staff have a supervision contract with their line manager To ensure that each member of staff is clear about their role and responsibilities To promote good practice and ensure that young people are in receipt of a quality

service To develop an arena in which an individual’s practice at work is regularly reviewed

and in which feedback on performance can be given and received To promote anti-disciplinary/anti-oppressive practice in the management and

support of staff To ensure that staff receive appropriate support with work related difficulties and to

reduce stress To ensure that individual training and development needs are regularly reviewed

and updated

Anti-discriminatory/Anti-oppressive Practice

Supervisors should develop self-awareness in relation to the inherent power differentials of the supervisory relationship and be particularly mindful of the potential impact of being a member of a more rather than less privileged group (issues of gender, race, education, age, religion, sexual orientation, disability and experience etc apply here).

Supervisors should regularly revisit this issue in the course of their supervision of staff and be receptive to any feedback that they receive. They should also ensure that this matter is specifically addressed at each annual contract review.

Purpose of Supervision

The overall purpose of supervision is to support staff at work to enable them to achieve best outcomes for young people. Supervision is most effective when both parties work in partnership and share responsibility for both process and outcome.

Supervision is an aid to good practice and as such should be approached in a positive and constructive way by all staff.

On occasions it may be necessary for the supervisor to raise issues of concern with a member of staff. In these circumstances this should be done openly and honestly and in a way in which respect for the member of staff is maintained. It is important to remember that the purpose of addressing concerns is to bring about change and improved performance not punishment.

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There are four main functions of supervision:

Management Development Support Mediation

While all of these functions are inter-related and should be addressed within supervision sessions, it is important to recognise the nature of their inter-relationship.

The main purpose of supervision is to ensure that work is done to the necessary standards to achieve best outcomes for young people. Supervision sessions, therefore, should be mainly concerned with the management function (the content of the work) with time allocated to the other functions as required to enable individuals to perform to the best of their (developing) abilities.

Consultation and Supervision

By the nature of the work there is frequent informal, ad hoc contact between supervisors and their staff when consultation is sought and issue-related advice is given. This is an important part of the Supervising Social Workers/Manager’s role in supporting staff and overseeing their practice. However such contact is rarely structured and recorded and as such cannot be considered an acceptable substitute for planned formal supervision.

Contracts

Each member of staff should have a supervision contract. The contract should be agreed in general terms in line with the contract template but can be modified to meet individual needs of the member of staff as necessary

The contract should include details of:

Frequency and duration of sessions How the agenda will be set How the meetings will be recorded The purpose for which the record may be used and who may have access to it

(confidentiality) Arrangements for review A contingency plan in the case of irreconcilable differences Any ground rules which may be necessary

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Content

The content of supervision sessions for all staff should include:

A review of work through discussion, reports and observations Agreeing action plans Consideration of development needs regarding skills, knowledge and value

base Opportunities to review and reflect on practice and experiences of and

feelings about work Mutual constructive feedback and periodic review

Appropriate documentation is available for all levels of staffing to ensure that relevant agenda items are discussed. All documents that can be found in The Records Handbook:

Frequency

All staff will be supervised at a frequency appropriate to their role. All staff will receive formal 1:1 supervision on a regular basis.

Recording

Supervisors should make a record of supervision sessions including a brief account of issues discussed and any actions agreed. The supervisee should countersign the record, and add any comments that they wish. In addition, it is the Registered Home Manager’s responsibility to review and countersign member of staff’s supervision document in order to regularly review the content, depth and quality of supervisions being undertaken.

Confidentiality

The record of supervision for any member of staff is the property of Treehouse Educare and consequently attracts only limited confidentiality. The record of the exchange between supervisor and staff member within a supervision session is essentially an account of a work related discussion and as such can be accessed by the supervisor’s line manager should he/she require.

It may be that on occasions individual members of staff may wish to discuss personal, non-work related issues (which may however impact on their work). In these circumstances a higher level of confidentiality can be negotiated with supervisors which will be respected provided the information exchanged does not give rise to any child care or child protection

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concerns about young people within or outside of Treehouse Educare’s services. In this event the supervisor would be required to pass the information on to their line manager.

In these latter circumstances supervisors should still make a record of their discussions, but separately from their normal supervision record. Arrangements should be made to keep this record secure and to only disclose its contents with the permission of the supervisee (subject to the above proviso).

Generally supervisors should beware of becoming too heavily involved in the personal affairs of their staff and while acknowledging the impact on performance of personal difficulties (and making the necessary allowances) redirect them to more appropriate, external, sources of support.

Evaluation and Review

Each individual’s supervision contract should be subject to annual review. This should include the supervisor; the supervisee and the supervisor’s line manager. The contract should be reviewed in terms of its continuing relevance to the individual’s current role and responsibilities, stage of professional development and any anticipated changes. It is important that this review also considers specifically the issue of anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive practice and addresses any concerns that emerge.

The end of this process should be an agreement between the supervisor and supervisee about the structure and content of their future contract and the nature of their ongoing relationship.

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Appraisal Process – For Staff Only

Purpose

Treehouse Educare believes that appraisal is central to developing and supporting its staff, enabling them to make an effective contribution to the success of the organisation.

Introduction

Appraisal is a continuous and systematic process intended to help individuals with their development and career planning. It is a process involving an appraisee and an appraiser in a review of current work and achievements as an aid to creating an individual development plan for each worker.

It is a process designed to enhance the appraisee’s performance and thus improve upon the quality of service provided. It should assist employees to carry out their duties effectively and realise their full and true potential.

Before your appraisal you will need to reflect upon your experiences over the past 12 months.

Treehouse Educare regards the principal functions of the appraisal process as a means of:

Acknowledging the achievements of employees and helping them to identify ways of improving their skills and performance as well as promoting a sense of accomplishment.

Clarifying expectations in terms of job description and person specification.

Identifying staff training and development needs.

Clarifying an individual’s goals/targets identified within their personal development plan.

Ensuring that all employees within the organisation are working towards the overall aims and objectives of Treehouse Educare. A way of seeing how you fit into the organisation, confirming the scope and content of your job and clarifying expectations.

Providing an opportunity to talk with your line manager, communication about general matters, resolving difficulties/misunderstanding and improving upon performance.

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The Appraisal Cycle

Core principles of the Appraisal Policy

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THE APPRAISAL CYCLE

Initial Meeting(Appraiser & Appraisee)

Collection of evidence

(Appraisee)

Collection of evidence (Appraiser)

Appraisal Interview

(Appraiser & Appraisee)

Appraisal Statement

Summary of interview plus

targets, PDP for action (Appraiser)

Review Meeting - annually

(Appraiser & Appraisee)

Supervision Sessions

(Supervisor & Supervisee)

Appendix C

The core principles of appraisal are:-

Appraisal is an on-going process with a formal, annual meeting to review progress.

Appraisal is a two-way process of communication, leading to agreed outcomes related to work priorities, support and development needs and should incorporate the views of young people for those in care related roles

Appraisal should always be a fair and equal process aligned especially to the Company’s Equality & Diversity Policy.

The appraisal process aids effective communication and quality assurance at all levels of the Company.

Appraisal congratulates good performance and identifies ways in which to improve performance.

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Process guidelines for the Appraisal Policy

The appraisal process provides a framework in order to:-

Review and evaluate current performance supporting staff in order to maximize their potential.

Identify, agree and provide positive support and development opportunity aligned to unit objectives, individual performance and career/personal development.

Provide guidance and direction to staff in their work during the next twelve months

Appraisals will be carried out on an annual basis generally on the anniversary of the individual’s employment.

Confidentiality & Monitoring

Confidentiality of appraisal is respected and information recorded during the appraisal process will only be shared as and when appropriate with the Chair of Treehouse Educare Board, The Executive Principal and HR.

The completed appraisal form and PDP should be signed by both the Appraiser and Appraisee with copies kept by the Appraiser and HR Department.

The Appraisal Scheme will be monitored by the Human Resources Department.

New Employees

During the first three months of employment all employees will be subject to regular review in line with the Probationary Period Procedure, once successfully completed, the Appraisal Process will then continue to provide a forum for the review of performance and planning of future development within the Company.

Training

All individuals managing the Appraisal Process will be provided with training on a regular basis via Treehouse Educare’s in house training programmes.

Disagreements

Should any member of staff disagree with the feedback provided during the appraisal process, every effort should be made to resolve this matter informally. If such a solution cannot be found the matter should be referred to the Appraiser’s line manager for

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mediation or a formal grievance may be submitted in line with the Company’s Grievance Procedure.

Date Signed NameReviewed November

2017Reviewed November

2018ReviewedReviewed

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