Reflective Supervision for Child Protection Practice – Reaching Beneath the Surface

Abstract

This paper describes a model of reflective supervision for child protection practice that is informed by psychoanalytic theory. Eileen Munro promotes the idea of depth in practice, referring to the skills and knowledge required to undertake the work. Her reports highlight the importance of supervision to provide a thinking space for practitioners where reflection can take place. This paper will explore the importance of supervision in more depth and describe how psychoanalytic ideas can help us understand the complexities of our work with families, anchoring us to a solid theoretical base and helping to make sense of the maelstrom of feelings that are stirred in us as well as in our colleagues and clients.

Keywords::

• reflective practice
• supervision
• psychoanalytic
• containment
• projective identification

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Anna Harvey

Anna Harvey is a senior children and families social worker with 24 years experience in the caring professions. She is an advanced practitioner and is an experienced expert witness in care proceedings. She is visiting lecturer at the Tavistock Clinic on MA and Doctorate level courses for social care practitioners and has worked as a reflective practice supervisor for the past 8 years. She has a research interest in the emotional aspects of decision-making in child protection practice. [email: [email protected]]

Fiona Henderson

Fiona Henderson is a clinical psychologist and psychoanalytic psychotherapist with 20 years clinical practice in NHS mental health services for adults and families. Formerly Consultant Clinical Psychologist at the Monroe Family Assessment Service and Tavistock Clinic, she has worked for many years with parents and families where there are concerns about harm or neglect. She is an experienced assessor and expert witness in family court proceedings and has a research interest in communication dynamics in child and family social work. [email: [email protected]]