Multi-Agency Supervision
The Multi Agency Supervision process is to support all partners working with a child, adult and family to agree a multi-agency shared understanding of strength, risk and needs from a trauma informed perspective.
This shared understanding informs decision making, strengthening how we can work in a preventative way to develop a plan to address need and risk.
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IntroductionShow details
Families today are increasingly more complex, with large sibling groups and a number of professionals involved where a mass of information is being shared and family circumstances frequently change.
Therefore, it was agreed to pilot an approach to allow a practitioners to be a critical friend to each other whilst identifying any other assessment / information required to evidence further harm or safety in the family. Key to this is having time to reflect in a safe space for learning to fully analyse all information known about the family as a whole system rather than managing individual crisis as they occur.
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PurposeShow details
The purpose of joint supervision across partner agencies is to provide a safe space to slow thinking down and reflect upon situations, which can feel complex, and at times ever changeable.
The Multi Agency Supervision process is to support all partners working with a child, adult and family to agree a multi-agency shared understanding of strength, risk and needs from a trauma informed perspective. This shared understanding informs decision making, strengthening how we can work in a preventative way to develop a plan to address need and risk.
Multi Agency Supervision offers a reflective space for joint analysis of assessment information, an opportunity to explore what professionals know about the lived experience of the child as well as any gaps within the information and what further information is required.
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PrinciplesShow details
Multi Agency Supervision does not replace statutory multi-agency processes such as Child In Need meetings, Core Groups and Child Protection Conferences which fully involve the family, including wider family, in decision-making and planning processes.
This Multi Agency Supervision process does not replace single agency individual professional supervision nor is it a decision-making forum regarding case escalation or closure.
Multi Agency Supervision does not replace the Escalation Policy and process. If either Partner Agency Lead is of the opinion that this is a ‘professional disagreement’, the request will not be approved and the Escalation Policy will be followed.
The principles of Multi Agency Supervision will be to support learning across agencies in the best interests of families to ensure that children, young people and their families receive the right levels of support and interventions at the right time.
If through the undertaking of joint supervision, there are wider learning points identified by multiagency professionals, for example, trends within the locality or specific agency learning needs, these should be fed back to WSCP for further discussion and consideration.
It is important that all professionals attending ensure that they have delegated authority from their respective agency.
Request for Multi Agency Supervision
Multi Agency Supervision should be requested when there is an emerging or increasing risk, need and vulnerability for a child who has an open plan of support in place from Children’s Social Care which includes:
- Targeted Early Help
- Child in Need (CIN)
- Child Protection (CP)
- Child in Care (CIC)
Examples of when a Multi Agency Supervision meeting could be considered are:
- Complexity within case; a number of professionals involved
- Drift and delay within the case – ‘Start Again’ within cases of neglect
- Families with multiple siblings
- Families where SEND is a factor
Multi-Agency Supervision Process
The case should be discussed by the accountable Team Manager / Safeguarding Supervisor and an agreement reached that the case should be considered for Multi Agency Supervision. A referral to be completed and sent to Wakefield Safeguarding Children Partnership.
Two Partner Leads should be agreed from two differing agencies to facilitate the Multi Agency Supervision session to allow a coordinated multi-agency approach from the onset.
Appropriate professionals to be invited and the Multi Agency Supervision session should be arranged within 15 working days from the date of the Partner Leads’ decision to provide a joint supervision session.
A record of the supervision should be completed at the supervision session, circulated to all attendees and placed on the child’s file by each agency involved with the family.
WSCP Multi-Agency Supervision Session
- Will be a safe space for multi agency reflection and analysis.
- Open and honest conversations and reflections from professionals.
- There will be a healthy ‘critical friend’ approach by all professionals and offer respectful challenge when needed.
- A Trauma Informed Approach will be used to understand the family being discussed.
- Each Partner Lead will maintain neutrality in the process.
