PEER SUPERVISION

Prepared for UNH Center for Professional Excellence in Child Welfare by Sarah Ake

LEARNING OUTCOMES

You will learn… The definitions & characteristics of peer supervision The benefits of peer supervision How to start a peer supervision group, including

recruiting members, structuring, contracting and first beginnings

How peer supervision applies to work in child welfare Why peer supervision is effective, ethical, and

needed - especially in a tough economy

WHAT IS PEER SUPERVISION?

A group of organized professionals with same knowledge, skill levels, and status

No defined leader An organized group of professionals who meet

regularly to discuss: Professional challenges Self-exploration Diversity and culture New interventions & solutions Ethical dilemmas or situations Difficult caseloads

MODELS OF PEER SUPERVISION

Psychodynamic Parallel process

Developmental model Stages of the group

Role centered model Group supervisor, the counselor, the client, present or non

present significant others, multicultural role, theoretical perspectives, etc.

THE BENEFITS OF PEER SUPERVISION

Networking Develop a Professional Identity Practice of Supervision & Skills

Including Role playing, challenging assumptions, learning multiple interventions and solutions

Cohesion & Support in the profession Peer interaction

Counteracts against social isolation in the profession

Lack of a power struggle Gain Self-efficacy, Trust, & Self-Esteem Counteracts Burnout

THE CHALLENGES OF PEER SUPERVISION Staying on Task Group Member Interactions

Group members not getting along, problems with communication, etc.

Inappropriate contracting Lateness, attendance, time to speak, etc. Inappropriate evaluation

Shame or guilt

HOW TO IMPLEMENT A PEER SUPERVISION GROUP

Members Interview Process Four to Six Ten to Fifteen

Rotating Presenters Contracting

Lateness, Time to speak, Attendance, monopolizing, silence, etc.

Evaluation

HOW WILL THIS BE USED IN CHILD WELFARE?

Effective Supervision is needed in high stress professions

Child welfare workers need support of their co-workers and administrations

VALUES, ETHICS & PEER SUPERVISION

Values of the profession Social work Psychotherapy Counseling

Confidentiality Rights &

Responsibilities Informed Consent Example: the right to leave

the peer supervision group.

ACTIVITY

Reflection Activity: You want to include another individual in your peer supervision

group. You and another member, with the permission of the group, decide to meet with a few individuals in the office who may want to join. What kinds of things might you ask a possible new group member?

You just started a peer supervision group and it has been going well. You are exploring your caseloads, finding out more about yourself, and connecting with others. In the tenth supervision group, one of the members who always has good input, always validates others, promotes self-exploration, and upholds the contract suddenly leaves. You and the other members in the group decide to continue on with the group but you feel that it isn’t the same and the group seems to be falling off track. What would you do?

THANK YOU

Thank you for participating in this training!

REFERENCES AND RECOMMENDED READINGS

Akhurst, J., Kelly, K. (2006). Peer group supervision as an adjunct to individual supervision: Optimising learning processes during psychologist’s training. Psychology Teaching Review, 12,1,3-15.

Corey, G., Corey, M. & Callanan, P. (2011). Issues and ethics in the helping professions. Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning: Belmont CA, 479-506.

Counselman, E., Weber, R. (2004). Organizing and maintaining peer supervision groups. Int J Psychotherapy, 54(2): 125-43. Retrieved from, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15103999.

Lassiter, P., Napolitano, L., Culbreth, J., & Kok-Mun, N. (2008) Counselor preparation: Developing multicultural competence using the structured peer group supervision model. Counselor Education & Supervision, 47, 164-177.

Thomasgard, M., Collins, V. (2003). A comprehensive review of cross-disciplinary, case-based peer supervision model. Families, Systems, and Health, 21, 3, 305-318.

Zorga, S., Dekleva, B. & Kobolt, A. (2001). The process of internal evaluation as a tool for improving peer supervision. International Journal for the Advancement of Counseling, 23, 151-162.