Published on: June 27, 2023
Staff from across Compass travelled to Derbyshire this month to take part in a Restorative Supervision training workshop.
The session, was run by External Trainer Gavin Speers alongside Compass Quality Assurance Lead Sue Cody who leads and provides support on Restorative Supervision within Compass.
Sue said: “I was really impressed with the enthusiasm and engagement of our staff who attended this very important workshop.”
“There was a open and informative discussion with all the individual staff members.
Restorative supervision (Wallbank 2007) is aimed at supporting front line staff who work with complex caseloads and aims to help them to maintain clear thinking and process information so they can make good, quick decisions.
Compass already have seven staff members who are trained and facilitate existing restorative group supervision sessions within teams. This workshop aimed to train more.
Staff who travelled from Derbyshire MHSTs – Chantelle Ross, Davinder Sahota, Yasmin Sharpe, Vicki Hickman Lucy Dormer. Also, Suzanne Hyland from Warwickshire CYPDAS.
Karen Cornick, Service manager at Connect 4 Health Karen Cornick attended with her colleague Isabel Main. Positive Effect’s Danielle Grant and Compass Bloom’s Adele Normington were there. Compass Coventry’s Beth Foulstone, Compass Barnsley’s Laura Angel and Compass Wakefield colleague, Marie Rafferty attended too.
Sue explained: “Restorative clinical supervision (Wallbank,2007) is a model of supervision designed to support professionals working within roles where they have a significant emotional demand.”
The aim of restorative supervision sessions within Compass is to strive to improve staff wellbeing by improving resilience in staff who are working within complex and challenging areas, providing space and time to discuss issues.
Session attendee Beth said: “This training was interactive, thought provoking and therapeutically challenging. The delivery combined a mix of humour and structure, so it enabled the group to verbally contribute, both with one another and in front of the group .
She continued: “This training also touched upon ethical dilemmas; inviting a range of discussions, that further support the ethos and concepts of the restorative supervision approach.”
Laura, also on the course, said: “I came away from our Restorative Supervision training enthusiastic to start facilitating my own group in the coming months.
“I think this role will suit my interests in supporting colleagues’ emotional wellbeing but I’ll also be able to use my skills in coaching to help manage the difficult or potentially stressful situations we are faced with in our everyday work. “
Sue added: ““I am looking forward to rolling out the restorative supervision sessions further for staff to access in the next coming months.”
Compass is committed to providing restorative supervision as a valuable addition alongside managerial, clinical and safeguarding supervision. It provides colleagues with an open and safe space to reflect on their work and think about any impact it might be having on them, or indeed how their personal circumstances might impact their work.
We hope it will help to promote resilience and wellbeing so that our staff are best equipped to support our clients.
And Lisa Gale, Compass’s Assistant Director Operations (North), said: “Compass is committed to providing restorative supervision as a valuable addition alongside managerial, clinical and safeguarding supervision.
“It provides colleagues with an open and safe space to reflect on their work and think about any impact it might be having on them, or indeed how their personal circumstances might impact their work.
“We hope it will help to promote resilience and wellbeing so that our staff are best equipped to support our clients.”