From the voices of supervisees: What is reflective supervision and how does it support their work? (Part I)

Abstract

Reflective supervision/consultation (RS/C) is a relationship for learning that embraces reflection and reflective practice strategies. It is considered best practice within the infant and early childhood mental health (IECMH) field. Based on research with supervisors, essential components of RS/C have been operationalized and used to develop evaluative tools. Little is known, however, about the essential components that supervisees find most useful. This paper, part I of a two‐part series, describes the essential components that supervisees identify as fundamental and ways they believe their work is supported by participation in RS/C. Fifty IECMH professionals located in the United States who received RS/C participated in focus groups or individual interviews. Data were analyzed using a Grounded Theory approach. Essential components of RS/C from the supervisee perspective included supervisee feelings of safety, the development of trust, holding a non‐judgmental stance, being available and present, and consistency and predictability. Additionally, supervisees identified outcomes of RS/C that included components of professional wellness, personal growth, and infant and family engagement. This study adds the supervisee's voice to the identification and operationalization of essential RS/C components and elucidates outcomes of RS/C that supervisees view as connected to their professional role.

‘What is it we are trying to achieve here’? Community maternal and child health nurses and clinical supervision: A qualitative descriptive study

“…Organizational commitment to staff support, including supervision, is a necessary component to successful implementation (Rooke, 2015; Rothwell et al, 2019). Likewise, supervisee commitment and willingness to engage in reflective practice is equally a factor (Barron et al, 2021).…”

“…Exemplars of good clinical reflective supervision were described which identified the central role of the supervisor in containing the different needs of the group and supervisees who were committed to exploring and reflecting on their practice. Facilitators included adequate time, consistent group make‐up, shared understanding of the purpose of each session and importantly the establishment of safety and trust (ACN, 2019; Barron et al, 2021). In addition to those above, voluntariness, supervisee led agendas, with clarity of roles and responsibilities (ACN, 2019; Driscoll et al, 2019), are key aspects inconsistently applied in the experience of nurses in this study.…”

From the voices of supervisees: A theoretical model of reflective supervision (Part II)

“…As pictured in the theoretical model (Figure 2), the developmental experience of RS/C (entering into, exploring, integrating) is nested within supervisee, supervisor, relational constructs, and contextual factors. These then impact outcomes through their effect on the experience of RS/C (Barron et al., 2022).…”

“…Findings from qualitative studies, overall, indicate that supervisees describe RS/C as beneficial to their work. Supervisees identify that engagement in RS/C decreases levels of stress (Frosch et al., 2019); decreases feelings of burnout and the impact of vicarious trauma (Barron et al., 2022); supports growth in their reflective capacity (Frosch et al., 2019; Harrison, 2016; Watson et al., 2016); and increases job satisfaction (Frosch et al., 2019). In contrast, quantitative investigations have generally reported no significant change in reflective functioning (Watson et al., 2016) or burnout (Eaves et al., 2020; Watson et al., 2016) and results from one study suggest that engagement in RS/C may actually increase the experience of job stress (Frosch et al., 2018).…”

Reflective supervision and consultation and its impact within early childhood‐serving programs: A systematic review

“…While reflection is an internal process that involves self‐awareness, it is often best facilitated by an experienced person who can offer a safe, supportive space in which the individual can explore (Barron et al., 2022a). Based on theory, anecdotal evidence, and burgeoning research, it is thought that the focus and collaboration around reflection begins to enhance the individual's reflective capacity (also called reflective functioning or reflective self‐efficacy ), which in turn allows reflective practice to unfold, wherein the individual puts reflection into action through their decision‐making, problem‐solving, and responses to challenge (Barron et al., 2022a). Said another way, the reflective supervisor helps a provider process the meaning of feelings that arise during interactions with children, families, and colleagues.…”