Many years ago I was at a child protection training day delivered by the Health Service Executive (HSE). (In those days the HSE was in charge of child protection in Ireland – nowadays it is Túsla).
I asked a question about how external supervision might be helpful in the context of child protection. I asked this because, when I set out on my career in child protection in 1990, I had been fortunate enough to have, as a mentor, a very forward thinking community leader from Southill in Limerick who saw the value in external supervision – and it had helped me enormously. Indeed, without it, I don’t think that I’d have lasted as long at the finger-on-the-pulse end of child protection.
Over those 30 years, I have not only avoided burnout, I actually have increased in freshness and enthusiasm. I attribute this to my own interest in the field, a lot of good peer support, and regular external supervision with a supervisor who was/is empathic with the work that I am doing.
Anyway, getting back to my question, the person delivering the training, in her answer, was very emphatic about the role of supervision.
She said that it was done by line managers within the HSE to ensure cases were properly dealt with, child protection notifications were submitted properly, and that deadlines were met etc. While the supervision on offer in the HSE was human, supportive and consistent, her opinion was that, in a situation where a child needed protection, external supervision was not only unnecessary, but dangerous.
It would be dangerous, she said, because an external person would not have the knowledge or expertise in child protection to judge whether or not a child was in danger.
Also the HSE would not then be in control – and what would happen if a child was not protected and someone sued the HSE, who would take responsibility?
In her answer there was no mention of burnout, vicarious trauma, distress, or on the other hand, trust, compassion, maintaining motivation, morale or hope.
That was, in fairness, a long time ago. I don’t know whether or not Túsla child protection staff have external supervision now – perhaps they have.
I mention it because is it not interesting that my mentor from Southill, who had no professional training in social care or social work, but was a man who was compassionate and far-seeing, appeared to be a good bit ahead of the highly-educated professionals in the Pillars in respect of what was good practice in child protection.
And I don’t think that external supervision is as yet standard practice among organisations that support people who have suffered trauma. I know of two voluntary organisations in this field where it is offered if staff experience a traumatic event – but if staff want to avail of regular supervision outside of that they have to pay for it themselves – and do it in their own time.
In those organisations, supervision is available in crisis situations, but there is no need of it when things are going well. What kind of message does this impart to staff?
If we look at supervision in the context of the root foundations, it is easy to see why it is of such value.
Of course, it needs to be accountable in respect of work done, contracts fulfilled, reporting concerns, etc. – but all this can be done within a confidential, good-will environment where the natural gifts of the person who is working are allowed emerge, their good ideas are listened to, they feel safe to be open about that which is challenging them, their uniqueness as workers, (i.e. their identity) is encouraged, and they feel cared for within a trusting relationship.
In this respect good supervision where people feel heard creates the conditions where an organisation can work through sometimes very difficult issues in real time.
When an unexpected event interrupts the normal day-to-day routine (that is, inducing chaos) regular supervision (whether structured, formal, or informal) allows people to process the chaos rather than default to some practice or protocol that might be fear-based and lacking the human response that would be far more beneficial in such a situation.