A model of child protection supervision for school health practitioners

In 2005, a steering group was set up within Westminster Primary Care Trust (PCT) to review child protection supervision for school health practitioners (SHPs). Its purpose was to examine existing models of supervision and then establish an alternative, more effective model for SHPs in Westminster PCT. A decision was made within the steering group to move toward group supervision based on an action learning sets model. In addition,'mini one-to-one' meetings are arranged for SHPs who have been in post for over a year. Results from the evaluation and comments made by SHPs indicate that this combination of group and one-to-one supervision is working well, with practitioners stating that they feel more confident in relation to child protection and clearer about their role.