Some useful information about surgeries and supervision:

What are surgeries?

Solution-orientated conversations in which professionals or parents discuss a particular issue with Kathy who provides a professional educational psychologist's perspective. Surgeries tend to be one-off conversations.

What is supervision?
Supervision is an ongoing process during which individual or groups of professionals or parents meet regularly to discuss issues using a solution-orientated format which helps them identify their strengths and successes, as well as sharing ideas about how to move forward. Kathy facilitates this process and provides a professional educational psychologist's knowledge and perspective.

What does the psychologist bring to the process?
Kathy facilitates these conversations in a way that empowers professionals and parents. She helps them recognise their own strengths and successes and identify the changes they want to make. She adds her psychological knowledge and expertise into this process, whilst also drawing out the existing skills of the people she is working with in a way that is motivating and builds confidence.

Kathy has extensive knowledge of the aspects of SEND, wellbeing and mental-health that staff are likely to encounter in schools. She is also a parent herself and understands the pressures families face, particularly when they are supporting children with additional needs. Kathy adds this knowledge, and her experience of working with schools and families over many years, into discussions.

What can be discussed in surgeries and supervision?

The conversation is led by the professional or parent. However, the following are some possible examples of issues that might be brought to supervision or surgeries:

• Issues with a particular area of SEN, for example, working with children with ASD, emotionally vulnerable children, or children with severe literacy difficulties.
• The behaviour or wellbeing and mental-health needs of a particular group of students
• A particular class or year group
• Issues that arise for a particular group of staff, for example, NQTs, ELSAs, Year Leaders or Senior Managers. If the issues are ongoing or recurrent supervision will usually be most appropriate for the group of staff. If issues are short term, or distinctly boundried, they might be discussed via a staff surgery.
• An issue related to a child's behaviour, mental-health or learning that is impacting on the family and home environment.
• Whole school issues, for example, achieving the commitments in the Education Staff Wellbeing Charter.

Getting the most impact from surgeries and supervision

You will get more from surgeries and supervision if you engage openly and honestly, have prepared for the session by gathering any relevant information, and carry out the actions agreed following the session.

Confidentiality

 Sessions are usually confidential. If our agreement is with your organisation, rather than with you individually, we will discuss and clarify before the sessions start whether your organisation expects any feedback on progress, and what format this will take. The exceptions to this confidentiality agreement are if: (a) your or someone else’s safety is at risk; or (b) there is a safeguarding disclosure. Should this eventuality arise, we will transparently discuss this with you and seek to agree a way forward.

We reserve the right to talk through aspects of our work in confidence in supervision.

How are surgeries and supervision different to coaching?

The sessions are focussed on the issue rather than on the individual professional development or wellbeing of the adult or adults, although learning will often take place as part of the session. to find out more about coaching click here

How do I book a surgery or supervision session with Kathy?

Simply email kathy@goodlifepsychology.co.uk and we will set a mutually convenient date for the discussion.