Supervision and training
Importance of supervision and training for practitioners
Supervision, guidance and support from someone with knowledge of safeguarding, is essential for people working with children, parents or carers. Issues may be raised in formal structured supervision or unplanned discussions, see KBSP Integrated Supervision Good Practice Guide and Tools. It is crucial that all agencies establish a clear framework for supervision, guidance and support. Those supervising staff working with adults should always ask about the care of children in the family and those managing child care cases should always ask about collaboration with adult workers if there are substances or alcohol misuse, mental health, learning disability or other complex needs affecting parents.
“To work with families with compassion but retain an open and questioning mind set requires regular, challenging supervision”.
(The Munro Review of Child Protection – Part One: A Systems Analysis, 2010)
All staff working with adults, who may have parenting responsibilities, should receive child safeguarding training appropriate to their role, see KBSP Training or agencies individual training requirements.