Francesca Kerr. UKCP (Accred), MBACP, GHR (Accred),BSc Criminology

Clinical supervision,

I have a diploma in person-centred supervision but my practice is integrative. I am happy to support practitioners 1-1 or in a group setting. I supervise several individual practitioners and am also bought in by several agencies to supply their clinicians with supervision.

Supervision is used in counselling, psychotherapy, and other mental health disciplines as well as many other professions engaged in working with people. It consists of the practitioner meeting regularly with another professional, not necessarily more senior, but normally with training in the skills of supervision, to discuss casework and other professional issues in a structured way. This is often known as clinical or counselling supervision or consultation. The purpose is to assist the practitioner to learn from his or her experience and progress in expertise, as well as to ensure good service to the client or patient.

Practising members of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy are duty and ethically bound to have supervision for at least 1.5 hours a month. Students and trainees must have it at a rate relevant to their hours of client contact.

The concept is also well used in psychology, social work, the probation service and other workplaces.