Qualifications Office Qualification in Occupational Psychology (Stage 2) Co-ordinating Supervisors and Designated Supervisors Handbook Valid from 31 March 2012
Qualifications Office The British Psychological Society, St Andrews House, 48 Princess Road East, Leicester, LE1 7DR. Tel: (0116) 252 9505 Fax: (0116) 227 1314 Email: exams@bps.org.uk www.bps.org.uk/exams
Contents List of commonly used Society abbreviations... 4 1 Welcome and Introduction... 5 2 Society Qualifications... 6 3 Occupational Psychology Qualifications Board... 7 3.1 The Qualifications Office... 7 3.2 Board Officer Key Roles and their responsibilities... 7 4 Supervisors and their Roles... 8 4.1 Co-ordinating Supervisor... 8 4.2 Designated Supervisors... 9 5 About the QOP (Stage 2)... 10 6 Admissions Procedures... 11 6.1 Formal Entry Requirements... 11 6.2 Personal Requirements... 11 6.3 Non-standard Entry... 12 7 Contracts with the Co-ordinating Supervisor... 13 8 Defining and Arranging Supervised Practice... 14 8.1 Study time... 14 8.2 Placement Duration... 15 8.3 Communication before, during and after the Placement... 15 9 Supervised Practice Approval Documentation... 16 9.1 Health and Safety... 16 9.2 Change of Employment... 16 10 Supervised Practice Arrangements... 17 11 Ethical Practice and Client Consent... 18 11.1 Ethical frameworks... 18 11.2 Client consent... 18 11.3 Recording sessions... 18 12 The Supervision Process... 19 12.1 Group Supervision... 19 12.2 Quarterly Review of Development Objectives... 19 12.3 Designated Supervisor s Reports... 20 13 Procedure for Grievances which occur during Supervised Practice... 21 14 Evidence Requirements... 23 14.1 Annual Progress Report... 23 14.2 The Annual Portfolio of Competence Submission... 23 14.3 The Portfolio of Competence entries... 24 14.4 Assessment and Evaluation... 25 15 Development of Supervisors... 26 3
List of commonly used Society abbreviations ADM Assessment & Development Matters AMR Assessment Master Record APA American Psychological Association BPS The British Psychological Society CPD Counselling and Personal Development CPsychol Chartered Psychologist CSci Chartered Scientist DEW Design of Environments and Work: Health and Safety DOP Division of Occupational Psychology EAWOP European Association of Work and Organizational Psychologists EFPA European Federation of Psychologists Association ERM Employee Relations and Motivation EuroPsy European Certificate in Psychology GBC Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (formerly known as GBR Graduate Basis of Registration) HMI Human-Machine Interaction HPC Health Professions Council ICPR International Coaching Psychology Review IND The Individual IUPsyS International Union of Psychological Sciences JOOP Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology MBPsS Graduate Member of the British Psychological Society MSB Membership Standards Board ODC Organisational Development and Change ORD The Organisation PACD Performance Appraisal and Career Development PEB Psychology Education Board PoC Portfolio of Competence PPB Professional Practice Board PSA Personnel Selection and Assessment PsyPAG Psychology Postgraduate Affairs Group PTC Psychology Testing Centre QCDA Qualifications Curriculum and Development Authority QOP (Stage 2) Qualification in Occupational Psychology (Stage 2) QSC Qualifications Standards Committee RCPT Register of Competences in Psychological Testing SGCP Special Group in Coaching Psychology TCP The Coaching Psychologist TOP Trainee Occupational Psychologist TRB Training (at Breadth) TRD Training (at Depth) WWE Work and the Work Environment 4
1 Welcome and Introduction Welcome to the British Psychological Society s Qualification in Occupational Psychology (Stage 2) ((QOP) (Stage 2))and thank you for agreeing to be the Co-ordinating Supervisor or Designated Supervisor for one or more candidates as they work to achieve qualification as an Occupational Psychologist. The QOP) (Stage 2) is approved by the Health Professions Council (HPC), and successful completion of the QOP (Stage 2) confers eligibility to apply to the Society for Chartered Membership and Full Membership of the Division of Occupational Psychology (DOP), and also confers eligibility to apply to the HPC for registration as an Occupational Psychologist. It is a legal requirement that anyone who wishes to practice using a title protected by the Health Professions Order 2001 is on the HPC Register. The title of Occupational Psychologist is one such legally protected title. For more information please see the HPC website (www.hpc-uk.org). Your role as a Co-ordinating Supervisor/Designated Supervisor is vital to the professional development of the candidates and contributes greatly to their successful completion of this qualification. We have prepared this Handbook to help guide you through the process of supervising a candidate for the Qualification and our requirements. At present we are designing a development programme that will support your supervisory role. The programme builds on the content of the current Supervisors workshop and will have some common features across all the areas of applied psychology along with specific development for occupational psychologists. The programme will be a blend of distance learning and face-to-face delivery. It is anticipated that this programme will be operational by mid-2012 and we ask for your feedback and help in the development of the programme. Once operational, Co-ordinating Supervisors who have successfully completed the programme will be entered onto the Society s Register of Applied Psychologist Practice Supervisors (RAPPS). We hope you will find this Handbook helpful. It is regularly revised and any feedback you are able to provide will help us to improve it in future. Your feedback is welcomed by email to the Qualifications Officer. We will also actively seek your feedback through surveys from time to time. 5
2 Society Qualifications The Society s Qualifications are often referred to as independent routes. This is because candidates are not attached to a particular university. More properly, the qualifications should be referred to as professional body qualifications. They have been designed around work-based learning in order to allow candidates to demonstrate that they have developed the competences required for the autonomous practice of their chosen branch of psychology. The advantages of these professional body qualifications are that they are flexible enough to allow candidates and their Co-ordinating Supervisor to identify appropriate training and development experiences which fit in with the candidate s work and take advantage of opportunities as they arise. In addition, much of the developmental experience can be gained whilst the candidate is employed in an appropriate position, meaning that most candidates are able to continue working as they train. However, candidates do not have to be employed in order to complete the qualification, provided that they are able to access appropriate supervised experience to meet the requirements of the qualification. Professional body qualifications are not the same as HEI-based courses. Candidates are not part of a class of students working towards a qualification in the same place at the same time. This means candidates can sometimes feel isolated and Co-ordinating Supervisors and Designated Supervisors (if applicable) have an important role to play in supporting candidates to reduce this feeling of separation. There are no organised lectures for candidates and, except for assessments; the Society does not set the timetable. Along with the flexibility of the independent route comes a greater responsibility for aiding candidates during their training experience. All Supervisors (whether the Co-ordinating or Designated) share this responsibility and will guide their candidate(s) through the Qualification. 6
3 Occupational Psychology Qualifications Board The Qualification is overseen by the Occupational Psychology Qualifications Board (OPQB). The Board writes the Candidate Handbook and designs the assessments. It appoints the assessors and approves results and feedback. When a candidate successfully completes all requirements the Board awards the Qualification. The Board is accountable to the Qualifications Standards Committee (QSC), which acts on delegated authority from the Membership Standards Board (MSB). The Board has a number of Officers who have key responsibilities within the qualification process and is supported by a Qualifications Officer. 3.1 The Qualifications Office The Society s Qualifications Office is responsible for the day-to-day running of Qualifications. All contacts are through the Qualifications Office, which keeps full records in relation to all candidates. Each qualification is looked after by a specific Qualifications Officer, who will be able to answer most questions about the Qualification. When they are unable to help they will contact appropriate people from the Board or elsewhere in the Society to find the requested information. Sometimes they may put you directly in touch with someone to discuss your question and sometimes they will find out the answer and get back to you themselves. You can find out the contact details for the relevant Qualifications Officer on the Society s website (www.bps.org.uk/qualifications). 3.2 Board Officer Key Roles and their responsibilities 3.2.1 Chair of the Qualifications Board The Chair is the Programme Leader and is responsible for running the Board. The Chair is not directly involved in the assessment of candidates in order to maintain some independence. They chair meetings of the Board and take responsibility for decisions, taken on behalf of the Board, in between meetings. 3.2.2 Chief Supervisor/Registrar The Chief Supervisor/Registrar has responsibility for approving the process of candidates training and development. They are responsible for approving the Co-ordinating Supervisor and approving enrolments and training plans. They are able to advise Co-ordinating Supervisors and Designated Supervisors throughout the candidates training and they are responsible for organising training for Co-ordinating Supervisors and Designated Supervisors. Contact with the Chief Supervisor/Registrar should be made via the Qualifications Officer. 3.2.3 Chief Assessor The Chief Assessor is responsible for the assessment process. This includes the recruitment and training of assessors, advising assessors, helping to prepare and finalise feedback for candidates and ensuring the process runs smoothly. In order to maintain the independence of the assessment process the Chief Assessor is not normally permitted to speak to any candidate about their enrolment or assessment. Co-ordinating Supervisors who need some clarification regarding feedback or results would normally discuss this with the Chief Supervisor/Registrar. Where the Chief Assessor has another relationship with the candidate s/he will not be involved in the assessment of that candidate and one of the other Board members will take the Chief Assessor s role in relation to that candidate s assessment. 7
4 Supervisors and their Roles 4.1 Co-ordinating Supervisor Often considered to be the equivalent to a course director role, this person has overall responsibility for guiding the candidate through the Qualification. The Co-ordinating Supervisor must be registered as an Occupational Psychologist with the HPC and must also be a Chartered Member of the Society and a Full Member of the DOP; have undertaken Society-approved training and be registered on the approved Society s Register of Applied Psychology Practice Supervisors (RAPPS). The role of the Co-ordinating Supervisor is described as: Completing a learning needs analysis as part of the enrolment and subsequently for any change of employment, and reviewing this on an annual basis. Ensuring that a risk assessment is undertaken at enrolment and subsequently for any change of work setting (such as examining professional indemnity arrangements). This is described as a workplace audit (see the Enrolment Form and Guidance Notes for more details on what this entails). Advising the candidate in developing the Plan of Training prior to its submission to the Chief Supervisor/Registrar and reviewing it annually, or if there are any significant changes. Monitoring the candidate s progress towards the QOP (Stage 2). Providing guidance and support to the candidate throughout the period of enrolment and taking overall responsibility for his/her preparation for the QOP (Stage 2). Offering feedback and guidance on any written work the candidate prepares prior to submission for assessment. Maintaining monthly contact with their candidates, which will include meeting face-to-face with the candidate a minimum of once every three months throughout the period of enrolment. Other means of contact, which must take place at least monthly, will include email and telephone and should be negotiated as part of the contracting process. Average supervision time with a candidate should be one-and-a-half hours per month (this could include reading entries for the Portfolio of Competence). Reviewing quarterly objectives and setting objectives for the next three months on a quarterly basis, in agreement with the candidate and the placement host 1. Completing and signing the Co-ordinating Supervisor s Evaluation of Professional Competence Form. Observing, or arranging for your candidate(s) to be observed, whilst working in a practitioner situation. Verifying the skills and competences contained in the Portfolio of Competence entries. Ensuring that the candidate reflects on his/her development as an occupational psychologist. Monitoring the candidate s fitness to practise and ethical standards while s/he is enrolled on the QOP (Stage 2). Co-ordinating Supervisors must be trained in their role. Successful completion of the training will enable registration on the Society s Register for Applied Psychology Practice Supervisors (RAPPS). Co-ordinating Supervisors who have been trained and are on the Society s list of Approved Supervisors have been transferred to RAPPS but will be required to undertake refresher training (approximately every two years). If a Co-ordinating Supervisor fails to undertake the required refresher training they will be removed from the Register by the Chief Supervisor/Registrar and their candidates will need to transfer to a new Co-ordinating Supervisor. The Chief Supervisor/Registrar will support any candidate who needs to transfer to a new Co-ordinating Supervisor under these circumstances. 1 The placement host is the organisation within which the candidate is undertaking supervised practice, whether this be as an employee, a consultant or a volunteer. The placement host might be represented by a line manager or other responsible person. Such agreements mean that objectives can be set in a realistic way bearing in mind the practice demands of the placement host as well as the learning needs of the candidate. 8
4.2 Designated Supervisors All candidates are required to have supervision from an Occupational Psychologist for the majority of their training. This assists a candidate in developing their own professional identity as an Occupational Psychologist. However, in cases where it is not practical for all of the candidate s practice to be supervised by an Occupational Psychologist, a Designated Supervisor may be appointed to supervise some of the practice. Designated Supervisors who are not Occupational Psychologists should be practitioners of a related profession who are registered with a professional body which has a code of ethics and accreditation and disciplinary/complaints procedures. The reasons for choosing a Designated Supervisor should be given, along with details of their qualifications and registration status and a brief account of how they are qualified to provide supervision for the particular piece of work, and approval must be sought from the Chief Supervisor/Registrar via the Plan of Training. A Designated Supervisor will need to ensure that they meet the criteria laid out in the Candidate Handbook before being proposed on your initial Plan of Training. The Designated Supervisor(s) can only be approved if they meet all of these criteria and attend requisite training for the role. Prior to being approved by the Chief Supervisor/Registrar, new Designated Supervisors will need to satisfactorily complete the QOP Designated Supervisor training (currently in development). Thereafter all supervisors must attend a QOP (Stage 2) supervisor training at least once every two years. If one of your Designated Supervisors fails to attend a QOP (Stage 2) supervisor training within a two-year period, the Board will remove them as an Designated Supervisor and your candidates will need to transfer to a new Designated Supervisor. You should be able to help your candidate in locating a new Designated Supervisor. The Chief Supervisor/Registrar is also available to support you or any of your candidates who need to transfer to a new Designated Supervisor under these circumstances. The role of Designated Supervisor is described as: Liaising with the Co-ordinating Supervisor. Communicating with the Co-ordinating Supervisor about any difficulties or changes in circumstance during the candidate s placement. Provide direct supervision of the candidate s practice in occupational psychology and ensuring that best practice guidelines are followed. Supporting the Plan of Training developed by the Co-ordinating Supervisor and the candidate. Ensuring that the candidate maintains a record of his/her occupational psychology practice and working with the candidate and the Co-ordinating Supervisor to ensure that the candidate undertakes the competences required. Countersign relevant documentation for both enrolment and assessment. Listen to the candidate s views or concerns about work in progress and advise as appropriate. Model and teach practical competence through illustration, prompting and feedback. Encourage the candidate to apply best practice and good communication. Appraise the candidate s integration and effectiveness and provide positive and critical feedback on the candidate s strengths and weaknesses. 9
5 About the QOP (Stage 2) The Qualification is approved by the HPC so that those who are awarded the Qualification are eligible to apply to HPC for registration as an Occupational Psychologist. Stage 1 is concerned with the knowledge and research basis of Occupational Psychology gained through a recognised Master s degree. Stage 2 is concerned with supervised practice. This Handbook covers the Stage 2 element of the Qualification. The Candidate Handbook provides more detail about the competences required for the award of the QOP (Stage 2), as well as the learning outcomes associated with the Qualification. Candidates will normally be enrolled on the Qualification for a minimum of two years (full-time or the part-time equivalent). However, the emphasis is on achieving competence rather than time serving, so the length of registration is variable. Some candidates will apply for Accreditation of Existing Competence (AEC) (at enrolment) and, if this is granted, will have fewer skills and competences to complete. 10
6 Admissions Procedures The QOP (Stage 2) admissions procedures are detailed below. Candidates and Co-ordinating Supervisors should ensure they are clear about these requirements before proceeding with the enrolment process and should read the Regulations for the Society s Postgraduate Qualifications Section 3, entitled Eligibility to enrol. The candidate and Co-ordinating Supervisor must discuss these in a preliminary meeting to assess the candidate s suitability and readiness to undertake the QOP (Stage 2). The Co-ordinating Supervisor and/or candidate may decide to proceed with the enrolment process in which case they should complete the supervisory contract. Alternatively, the Co-ordinating Supervisor and/or candidate may decide that this is not the most appropriate route for the candidate and decline to proceed any further with the enrolment process. The Qualifications Officer and Chief Supervisor/Registrar are available via the Society s Leicester office, if required, to discuss further queries resulting from specific circumstances. 6.1 Formal Entry Requirements Applicants must fulfil the following requirements to be accepted into the QOP (Stage 2). The same entry requirements apply to applicants with qualifications from within the UK and to those with qualifications from outside the UK. Some additional advice for applicants from outside the UK is available on our website. Candidates should: Hold current Graduate Membership of the Society with the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC). Hold a Society-accredited Stage 1 Qualification in Occupational Psychology (i.e. an MSc in Occupational Psychology). In addition to the above candidates must formally enrol on the Qualification by completing the following: Enrolment Form including details of two referees (satisfactory references are a condition of enrolment). Plan of Training Form. Application for Accreditation of Existing Competence (AEC), (where applicable) and supporting evidence. Candidates must also provide the following documentation: Satisfactory health reference. Enhanced criminal records check. Supervisory contract. Evidence of their Stage 1 Qualification. To ensure the consistency of this process a sample of assessed enrolment files are subsequently sent to the external examiner to gain their feedback and any necessary adjustment. 6.2 Personal Requirements The candidate should be able to demonstrate all of the following as judged by themselves, their Co-ordinating Supervisor and the health reference and evidenced in the enrolment process: self-awareness and psychological stability; ability to cope with intellectual and academic requirements at doctorate level; understanding of, and capacity to cope with, the emotional demands of being an independent candidate; ability to make use of and reflect on life experience; ability to form a helping relationship; ability to be self-critical and use both positive and negative feedback. 11
6.3 Non-standard Entry You, as the Co-ordinating Supervisor, should ensure candidates who do not use English as their first language can meet requirements such as provision of evidence that they have passed the International English Language Testing System at System Level 8 before they apply to enrol. Exemption from this requirement can be provided at the discretion of the Qualifications Board where a candidate can demonstrate an appropriate level of proficiency in the English Language. Please see the Regulations (Section 3.3) for further details. The Society operates an equal opportunities policy; please see the Regulations (Section 2.3) for further details. 12
7 Contracts with the Co-ordinating Supervisor The Regulations require candidates to have a contract with their Co-ordinating Supervisor. We recommend that Designated Supervisors also have a contract with the candidate. This section provides some general guidance regarding contracts. You should have a contract with each candidate who you supervise or for whom you are the Co-ordinating Supervisor. This contract should set out what is expected of each party. It should include the minimum number of meetings you will have, the means by which meetings or supervision might take place (faceto-face, telephone, email) and the rates at which the candidate will be charged for this (if applicable). It should also set out what is expected of the candidate, for example, their preparation for supervision meetings, and information with which you expect them to provide you. The Candidate Handbook for the Qualification requires Co-ordinating Supervisors and their candidates to maintain monthly contact, which will include face-to-face meetings a minimum of once every three months throughout the period of enrolment. Other means of contact will include email and telephone and should be negotiated as part of the contracting process. Your contract should ensure that at least these minimum criteria are met. You should also bear in mind that some candidates will need more support and supervision than the minimum specified and should allow for this in your contractual arrangement. Some points in the process may also require more input than others. For example, putting together an enrolment and AEC application may require monthly face-to-face meetings between the Co-ordinating Supervisor and candidate for three consecutive months, with no further face-to-face meetings needed until the following quarter. Sometimes supervision will be external to the candidate s employing organisation and the need for a contract governing matters such as payment is clear. Sometimes the Co-ordinating Supervisor and/or Designated Supervisor and candidate will be employed by the same organisation and supervision might be part of the Co-ordinating Supervisor s and/or Designated Supervisor s normal job role. In such cases the candidate would not expect to pay additional fees to the Co-ordinating Supervisor/Designated Supervisor. However, a contract which sets out the expectations and responsibilities of each in relation to the supervision process is still required. This will help both parties to be clear about what is expected of them and about what is reasonable to ask of the other. A template contract is available on the Society s website which you may use, or you may use your own contract. You and the candidate must both have a copy of the contract and a copy must be included in the enrolment process (this is stored in the candidate s record by the Society). 13
8 Defining and Arranging Supervised Practice Whilst enrolled on the QOP (Stage 2) the candidate will undertake supervised practice. This will normally be within the context of their employment, but may also be in the form of voluntary or temporary work. The Candidate Handbook has further details on supervised practice. However, supervised practice normally comprises activities that could be with, for example, a team, an individual or an organisation where the candidate s engagement takes place frequently over a medium/ long term period in that environment and the nature/scope of your work is determined and facilitated by the supervised practice host (i.e. their employer). Occasionally, candidates may be self-employed. Co-ordinating Supervisors will have a particularly key role to play in these circumstances, as candidates should not be operating as independent practitioners in occupational psychology until they have completed the QOP (Stage 2). Further information can be sought from the Qualifications Office. The Co-ordinating Supervisor has a responsibility to ensure each period of supervised practice with one employer will provide an appropriate learning experience. This includes approving the Designated Supervisor if one is to be used. For each setting in which supervised practice will be undertaken an audit must be completed. The Audit Form can be found in Section 2 of the Enrolment Form and must be completed before enrolment and submitted with the Enrolment Form. Section 3 of the Enrolment Form is a risk assessment for the supervised practice experience and must also be completed and submitted with the Enrolment Form. The audit will need to be reviewed on an annual basis and submitted as part of the Annual Progress Report. If the candidate changes supervised practice setting during their enrolment (for example, moves to a new job) then the Change of Employment Form must be completed. These include both an audit and a risk assessment for the new setting. However, where a candidate works for their employer other than in their normal place of work, for example on a client s premises, no audit or risk assessment will be required as this is deemed to be part of the same workplace. The intended learning outcomes of the supervised practice should be identified and a clear plan for achieving these should be in place, including realistic timescales. Learning outcomes will normally refer to competences which the candidate is required to develop and demonstrate. This will usually be part of the quarterly review that you and your candidate undertake. In the case of periods of supervision with a Designated Supervisor it will be helpful for the Co-ordinating Supervisor, Designated Supervisor and the candidate to communicate to agree the intended learning outcomes for that period. It is important that the learning outcomes are realistic bearing in mind the role of the candidate within the organisation or the requirements for the specific piece of consultancy work. For this reason it is important that you also discuss the learning outcomes with the supervised practice host (i.e. the line manager). During all of their work the candidate is expected to comply with the HPC s Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics, the HPC s Guidance on Conduct and Ethics for Students, the Society s Code of Ethics and Conduct, and the Society s Membership Conduct Rules. Designated Supervisors should also be advised of this and, if necessary, provided with copies (available from the Society s website and the HPC website respectively). Before approving the placement, you should consider a number of factors: It is important that the supervised practice setting will provide a safe and supportive environment and a risk assessment must be undertaken. You should consult the host organisation (normally the employer) about the most appropriate person to undertake the risk assessment. Some organisations will have a health and safety officer who will be able to help with the risk assessment. Wherever possible the candidate should be encouraged to carry out the risk assessment. This is to encourage the candidate to get into the habit of taking responsibility for their health and safety at work. However, overall responsibility rests with you, you must be satisfied that the workplace will provide a safe environment for the candidate. 14
The organisation in which the supervised practice is taking place must comply with certain requirements in order to ensure it will provide an appropriate learning environment for the candidate. The Audit Form (Section 2 of the Enrolment/Change of Employment Forms) have been designed to help you to ensure that these requirements have been met. When completing the Audit you may want to discuss some aspects with the candidate or their line manager, but the final judgement will rest with you. The introduction to the Audit Form provides more information about its completion. There must be appropriate arrangements in place for the supervision of the candidate. This will depend upon whether the Co-ordinating Supervisor is external to the candidate s organisation. If they are, it is recommended that a Designated Supervisor is appointed to undertake the day-to-day supervision of a candidate. 8.1 Study time During periods of supervised practice candidates will require dedicated time to study. This includes reading and reflecting on the psychological literature relating to the current period of supervised practice as well as time to write up submission entries and other evidence which will later be submitted for assessment. You, the candidate and, where appropriate, your candidate s line manager, should agree the amount of study time to be allocated during the period of supervised practice and when it is expected that this will be used. It is beneficial to keep some flexibility in this arrangement, but the candidate s overall study time should be protected. However, this will depend upon the candidate and the organisation in which they are employed. Whilst study time during supervised practice is strongly recommended, the Society understands that in some employment contexts it might not be possible to provide study time during working time. In such circumstances this should be clearly stated at the outset and you should ensure that the candidate has considered what study time they will need and when they will undertake this. It is important that candidates have realistic expectations about how much study time might be required and when this can be undertaken. You should help candidates by discussing these matters and helping them to draw up a realistic plan. The time needed will be dependent upon the needs of each individual candidate that you are supervising, therefore, it is recommended that you have this discussion with them when you undertake their needs analysis at the beginning of the supervised practice. 8.2 Supervised Practice Experience Duration The Candidate Handbook provides details about the minimum amount of supervised practice which is required. 8.3 Communication before, during and after the Supervised Practice You should make appropriate arrangements to communicate with your candidate and the Designated Supervisor (if used) before and during the supervised practice. However, the candidate and the Designated Supervisor should each know how to contact you if they feel it is appropriate, and should agree to do so in the event of any concerns about the supervised practice. If appropriate, you and the Designated Supervisor will have some communication before the supervised practice so that you are satisfied as to the arrangements. Contact during the supervised practice is also important. For example, a telephone conversation to review progress will help so that you maintain an awareness of your candidate s progress and will give an opportunity for the Designated Supervisor to discuss any issues or seek clarification on any matters which may have arisen. You should also contact the Designated Supervisor and discuss the candidate s progress so that any issues can be highlighted in the Quarterly Face-to-Face Supervisory Meeting Form. 15
9 Supervised Practice Approval Documentation For each workplace the following approval documents must be submitted. The approval documents for the supervised practice must be submitted with the plan of training. If the candidate changes employer during the supervised practice, documents for the new workplace must be submitted when approval of the workplace is requested. It is important that we are assured about the settings in which our candidates are undertaking work, so workplace approval documents must be submitted for each setting in which supervised practice is undertaken. Workplace approval documents are as follows: The Enrolment Form (in four parts). Evidence that the work of the candidate is supported by the organisation and covered by Professional Indemnity insurance. A copy of the employer s health and safety policies and procedures. A copy of the employer s equal opportunities policy, with information about how this is implemented and monitored. A copy of the employer s grievance and disciplinary policy. Information about the staff at the workplace, including line manager and point of contact for candidate. Name and registration status of Co-ordinating Supervisor and Designated Supervisor, and, if the Designated Supervisor is not a HPC-registered Occupational Psychologist, information about how they are suitably qualified. The relevant forms can be downloaded from our website. 9.1 Health and Safety You are responsible for ensuring that supervised practice takes place in a safe environment. The candidate should complete a risk assessment as part of the enrolment form using the form available on our website. We ask candidates to complete the risk assessment because this is an important skill for them to develop and it will, we hope, help them to develop a sense of responsibility for their own safety and that of others in the work place. For many candidates this will be something new, so it is important that you review the risk assessment with them. You should be satisfied that the policies, and their implementation, are adequate to provide for a safe supervised practice environment. Any concerns should be discussed with the Chief Supervisor/Registrar and resolved before the supervised practice is approved. A note of the concerns and action taken to resolve it should be added to the Audit Action Plan. You should also check with the employer that the candidate s induction will include the organisational health and safety policies, lone working policies and any other policies relevant to the safety of the candidate during their supervised practice. The candidate should complete an induction checklist after their induction to ensure that all relevant information has been included. 9.2 Change of Employment Your candidate may acquire new employment during their enrolment on the Qualification. You are responsible for ensuring that this new period of supervised practice takes place in a safe environment. The candidate should, therefore, complete the Change of Employment Form, which includes a risk assessment which is similar to that required at enrolment. We ask candidates to complete the risk assessment because this is an important skill for them to develop and it should help them further to develop a sense of responsibility for their own safety and that of others in the work place. You should be satisfied that the policies, and their implementation, are adequate to provide for a safe supervised practice experience environment. Any concerns should be discussed with the Chief Supervisor/Registrar and resolved before the supervised practice is approved. You and your candidate must also complete a Plan of Training for the new period of supervised practice and forward this to the Chief Supervisor/Registrar. The plan of training needs to be approved before the supervised practice can commence. 16
10 Supervised Practice Arrangements The supervised practice should start with an induction, particularly if the candidate has not worked for that employer before or for some time. This should include practical information about the site (fire procedures, toilets, lunch facilities, breaks, and arrangements for out-of-hours working) as well as information about any workplace policies (such as Equal Opportunities) to which the candidate must adhere. This should include health and safety policies and any precautions around lone working. The candidate should complete the induction checklist (available on our website) after the induction to ensure that all of the necessary elements have been included. Where a candidate is undertaking their supervised practice within their normal employment this induction may not require all of the above elements, provided that the candidate has been provided with this information previously and is aware of where to find the information again if needed. However, if any of the information or policies change, or new policies are introduced, then the candidate must be informed. If the candidate is undertaking their supervised practice in the context of their normal employment it is important that their line manager is aware of the requirements for their supervised practice and is supportive in helping to achieve this. It may be helpful for the Co-ordinating Supervisor or Deesignated Supervisor, candidate and line manager to meet to agree any particular requirements, such as study time or supervision time, allocation of particular work tasks to help the candidate gain appropriate experience and development opportunities which are likely to arise during the supervised practice period. It is important that the line manager understands the candidate s status as a trainee and the limitations this may place on their work. For example, there may be issues around confidential information and its use in supervision, the need for which must be acknowledged. Professional Indemnity Candidates are required to ensure that they have appropriate Professional Indemnity insurance. Often this will be provided by their employer but they will need to check they are covered for all of their supervised practice as a trainee, especially as some practice may take place outside of their normal employing organisation. You and the Designated Supervisors may also wish to check that your employer s Professional Indemnity Insurance covers you for your individual roles as the Co-ordinating Supervisor and (if applicable) the Designated Supervisor. If your employer s Professional Indemnity Insurance does not cover you in these roles then you may need to obtain your own Professional Indemnity Insurance. 17
11 Ethical Practice and Client Consent 11.1 Ethical frameworks Candidates are required to work within the Society s Code of Ethics and Conduct and the Society s Membership Conduct Rules. These can be obtained from the Society s website (www.bps.org.uk). Candidates are also expected to comply with the HPC s Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics and the HPC s Guidance on Conduct and Ethics for Students which are available from the HPC website (www.hpc-uk.org). You and the Designated Supervisors should ensure that you are also aware of these ethical codes and should take opportunities to discuss ethical issues in supervision. 11.2 Client consent The issue of informed consent is central to ethical practice and is particularly important when feedback is being given to a client. You should discuss with your candidates any particular issues regarding client consent within the context of their professional role and should ensure that organisational requirements for client consent are adhered to. Clients should be informed that the candidate is in training and working under supervision, and should highlight the limits of confidentiality within the context. 11.3 Recording sessions Some qualifications (though not the QOP (Stage 2)) require that candidates record sessions with clients as part of the process of collecting evidence. Recording sessions can, however, be a useful tool in the developmental process, enabling you or the Designated Supervisor and candidate to review sessions together to identify learning points. Specific consent should be sought for the recording of sessions. A sample consent form is available from the Society s website. 18
12 The Supervision Process There may be several forms of supervision that are appropriate for different work settings. Candidates may find it helpful to have a Designated Supervisor who works within the employing organisation (an internal supervisor) and they may also benefit from supervision by someone external to the organisation (an external supervisor). Often candidates are unable to obtain supervision from an occupational psychologist within their employing organisation. Other candidates may not be employed whilst training. Whatever the reason, it is not uncommon for candidates to engage external supervision from outside of their workplace. You should be able to advise your candidate of the best arrangements. If you are an external Co-ordinating Supervisor then you must meet the Qualification requirements set out in the Regulations and the Candidate Handbook for the Qualification and should follow the guidelines provided for Co-ordinating Supervisors/Designated Supervisors here. Matters such as the contract are particularly important. Co-ordinating Supervisors/Designated Supervisors who are not employees of the organisation where the candidate will undertake their supervised practice will need to ensure that they are able to have access to the work place and that commercial sensitivities or confidentiality clauses will not hamper their supervisory relationship with the candidate. Where such problems exist they should be acknowledged and a plan agreed to address any difficulties which arise. 12.1 Group Supervision You may be supervising several candidates and may choose to undertake group supervision. This can have advantages for candidates who can benefit from the shared learning experience. On the other hand some candidates will not enjoy this experience and will wish to have individual supervision. When supervising a group of candidates together each candidate will be deemed to have received a limited amount of supervision within the session. Therefore, if group supervision is to count towards the total overall supervision hours required it should be apportioned appropriately. For example, a two-hour supervision session involving a group of four candidates might be counted as 30 minutes of supervision for each individual. Finally, whilst group supervision can provide benefits to candidates it is not a substitute for individual one to one supervision. You and the Designated Supervisor should ensure that there is an appropriate balance. 12.2 Quarterly Review of Development Objectives Candidates are required to have contact with you at least monthly. A record should be kept of this contact. Contact can be face-to face, by telephone or by email but once a quarter the contact must be a face-to-face meeting. When commencing the Qualification, the first quarterly meeting will agree the plan for development activities in the first three months and the learning outcomes (skills and competences) which the candidate will aim to develop. Subsequently you and your candidate will have a face-to-face meeting once a quarter at which you will review progress against the previous plan, agree the plan for the coming three months and identify the work and the personnel who will support your candidate in development of the next set of competences. This will be recorded on the Quarterly Face-to-Face Supervisory Meeting Record Form. The Quarterly Review of development objectives forms part of the Portfolio of Competence and should be submitted on an annual basis. This has been previously described as the Supervision Log and is now part the Annual Progress Report. 19
12.3 Designated Supervisor s Reports The Candidate Handbook sets out the requirements for Supervisors reports part of the Quarterly Faceto-Face Supervisory Meeting. These must be provided to you by the Designated Supervisors. You should acknowledge that you have seen these reports and have acted on any areas of concern. Any concerns should be noted on the Quarterly Supervisory Meeting Record. The Designated Supervisors may also report to you any concerns they may have about your candidate s progression, any issues which have arisen, or any concerns about the candidate s conduct, health or fitness to practice. If such matters arise you should seek advice from the Chief Supervisor/Registrar about how to proceed. Co-ordinating Supervisors and Designated Supervisors can access further information on the Society s website (see inside cover for details), where there are pages devoted to the QOP (Stage 2). 20
13 Procedure for Grievances which occur during Supervised Practice Candidates for the QOP (Stage 2) will often be employed during their period of supervised practice. Others will be undertaking their supervised practice within an organisation on a voluntary basis, or will have a consultancy agreement for a particular project. Candidates should have an employment contract, or in the case of unpaid work an honorary contract (if possible), with the organisation. This contract should refer to the organisation s grievance and disciplinary procedures and a copy of the procedures must be provided to the Chief Supervisor/Registrar. Where possible this should be provided at enrolment and, subsequently, whenever supervised practice is arranged with a new employer or organisation updated information should be sent to the Chief Supervisor/Registrar. If the grievance or disciplinary procedure is followed by the employer in relation to either the candidate or the Co-ordinating Supervisor then the Chief Supervisor/Registrar should be informed that the procedure has been followed and of the outcome. Where appropriate Regulation 5.3 (Regulations for the Society s Postgraduate Qualifications) will be invoked. In some cases the problem or issue which arises may fall outside of the organisation s procedures. For example, the candidate or Co-ordinating Supervisor may be concerned that the other party is not fulfilling their side of the supervision contract or there may be issues which relate specifically to the QOP (Stage 2) which are not considered by the employer to fall under its procedures. As a general rule the Co-ordinating Supervisor and candidate should always seek to resolve any issue in the first instance. In cases which do not include the Co-ordinating Supervisor either party may approach this person to facilitate such discussions. The Co-ordinating Supervisor may seek the advice of the Chief Supervisor/Registrar if they feel this is appropriate. If the problem cannot be resolved informally, and the organisation s own procedures do not apply, then the following procedure can be invoked. Where the grievance does not involve the Co-ordinating Supervisor, the candidate and/or the Designated Supervisor should raise the issue with the Co-ordinating Supervisor and advise them that either the problem has not been resolved informally or that the problem is so serious as to preclude an informal resolution. If the Co-ordinating Supervisor is involved in the grievance then the Designated Supervisor or candidate may raise this directly with the Chief Supervisor/Registrar. The Co-ordinating Supervisor should inform the Chief Supervisor/Registrar that the issue has been raised. When doing so they should provide information about the nature of the problem and any action or discussions which may have already been taken in order to attempt an informal resolution. The Co-ordinating Supervisor should also provide an explanation about why the problem is not being dealt with by the employing organisation s own grievance and/or disciplinary procedures. The Chief Supervisor/Registrar will discuss the issue with the Chair of the Board and together they will decide: Whether there is a case to answer. In the case of a matter related to the conduct of the candidate whether Regulation 5.3 (Regulations for the Society s Postgraduate Qualifications) should be invoked. In such a case the provisions of that regulation will apply to the remainder of the case. In the case of a matter related to the conduct of the supervisor, whether or not the matter should be reported to any regulator or professional body. In any case whether there should be a change of Designated Supervisor or Co-ordinating Supervisor. 21