Safeguarding
Supervision Framework
2015 - 2017
Author Sharon Conlon
Safeguarding Lead
September 2015
1
Contents
Page Number
1
Introduction and Purpose
3
2
Definition
3
3
Levels of Safeguarding Supervision Available to SSFT Staff
3
4
Accountability and Responsibility
4
5
Process for Monitoring Compliance and Effectiveness
5
6
References
5
2
1. Introduction and Purpose
Safeguarding is a key priority for South Staffordshire and Shropshire Foundation
Trust (SSSFT) and all staff are charged with the responsibility to safeguard the
people who come into contact with our service.
Working to ensure that children and adults are protected from harm requires
sound professional judgements to be made. It is demanding work that can be
distressing and stressful. All of those involved should have access to advice and
support.
The purpose of this strategy is to ensure that high quality safeguarding advice,
support and supervision is available to all SSSFT staff to ensure staff are
supported and offered professional challenge. Safeguarding supervision is
supplementary to clinical supervision in accordance with national guidance
(Working Together to Safeguard Children, DoH 2010) (Laming 2003).
The current government guidance supports the supervision process with child
protection practice however; this strategy includes safeguarding of children and
adults.
2. Definition
“Effective supervision is important to promote good standards of practice and to
support individual staff members. Supervision should help to ensure that
practice is soundly based and consistent with Local Safeguarding Boards and
organisational policies.
It should also help to identify the training and
development needs of the practitioner so that each has the skills to provide an
effective service” (Laming 2009).
3. Levels of Safeguarding Supervision available to SSSFT staff:
Level 1
Staff can access safeguarding support and advice from their peers and line
managers.
Level 2
Safeguarding support and advice is available from the safeguarding team via
telephone or face to face contact.
This is one off advice regarding a specific safeguarding concern.
Level 3
Staff can access planned face to face individual supervision from the
safeguarding team.
Level 4
Teams can access planned face to face group supervision from the safeguarding
team.
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4. Accountability and Responsibilities
Outlined below are the individual roles and responsibilities in relation to
accessing and providing safeguarding supervision:
o Practitioners
Practitioners should ensure that they know how to access safeguarding
supervision at levels 1, 2 and 3. Where an individual child adult has been
discussed, this discussion (and any resulting actions) must be recorded in the
clinical records. This will be the responsibility of the health professional seeking
advice.
o Team Managers
Team Managers should provide level 1 safeguarding supervision to all staff
working with children and adults where there are safeguarding concerns. Team
Managers should arrange for their staff to receive level 4 supervision as deemed
appropriate to the needs of the team.
o Safeguarding Team
The safeguarding Team will inform all clinical teams via a formal letter of their
safeguarding supervision roles and responsibilities and the different levels of
supervision available and will also provide supervision at level 2, 3 and 4 where
required.
Record Keeping Responsibilities

Practitioners
Where an individual child/ adult has been discussed, this discussion and
any resulting actions must be recorded in the clinical records. This will be
the responsibility of the health professional seeking advice.

Team Managers
Team Managers should record safeguarding supervision in accordance
with the generic Clinical Supervision Policy C-YEL-gen-03
How will this be delivered?
Level 1
All team managers will be made aware of their responsibility to provide
Safeguarding Supervision where it is required.
Level 2
The safeguarding team will provide safeguarding supervision/advice and support
via telephone or via unplanned face to face contact. This support will be available
during office hours only. Telephone contact details for the safeguarding team will
be made available to all clinical teams. These details will also be provided at
safeguarding training and are available on the trust intranet site.
4
Level 3
All clinical staff are able to book planned face to face supervision with the named
professional. This must be arranged via the Safeguarding Team Co-ordinator.
Level 4
All team managers are able to book safeguarding team supervision; this must be
booked via the safeguarding team co-ordinator.
5. Process for monitoring compliance with and effectiveness
The Safeguarding Team will co-ordinate the supervision strategy implementation
and retain evidence as appropriate. This will be achieved at the varying levels as
outlined below.
Level 1
Letters will be sent out to the 65 clinical teams via the Safeguarding Team Coordinator and copies retained as evidence.
Level 2
Calls and face to face contacts with the named professional will be
acknowledged via email by the named professional. It remains the responsibility
of the professional seeking advice to record this advice within the clinical records.
Level 3
Safeguarding Team Co-ordinator will record all requests for individual
supervision; these figures will be reported on an annual basis.
Level 4
Safeguarding Team Co-ordinator will record all planned group supervision
sessions. These will be reported on an annual basis.
6. References
DoH (2010) Working Together to Safeguard Children HMSO
DoH (2003) The Victoria Climbie Inquiry HMSO
Generic Clinical Supervision Policy 1.14a
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