Set a proportionate schedule
There is no single interval that fits every service and every worker. Follow your organisation’s policy and consider experience, role, risk, performance, wellbeing, recent incidents and development needs.
Use a consistent structure
- Wellbeing, workload and support.
- People supported, risks and changes in need.
- Safeguarding, incidents and learning.
- Quality of practice and feedback.
- Training, competence and career development.
- Previous actions and new agreed actions.
A structure brings consistency, but the conversation should still respond to the individual rather than becoming a checklist exercise.
Create space for reflection
Ask open questions about what went well, what was difficult and what the worker would do differently. Explore decision-making and values, not only whether tasks were completed.
Record clearly and follow up
Write an accurate, proportionate record. Distinguish observations, evidence, concerns and agreed actions. Give each action an owner and timescale, then review it. Store records securely and explain how confidentiality works.
Use supervision alongside—not instead of—management
Urgent concerns, safeguarding issues and serious performance matters should not wait for the next supervision. Supervision complements day-to-day support, observation, team communication and formal procedures.