Supervision
"Wisdom Begins in Wonder" – Socrates
Our Approach to Supervision
Confidentiality, compassion, trust, and equity underpin all of our supervisory relationships. We offer this to adults who journey with and care for children and young people. The core aim of our reflective and reflexive practices is to support you by creating and holding space that is respectful, open, and authentic.
During supervision, we reflect on what matters most to you—whether it’s work-related practices, embedding new skills, or exploring difficult situations that can sometimes feel hard to hold. We cherish the relationships we build, and these are always based on the foundations of trust, empathy, and gentle curiosity.
We practice what we teach and offer a private, bespoke, and nurturing environment for supervision at our main rooms in Newcastle-Under-Lyme and at other locations throughout Staffordshire and the West Midlands.
Who we Support in Reflective Conversation's and Supervision
At Summit, we offer compassionate and supportive supervision for psychologists, play therapists, residential care teams, and professionals working across children and families services. We also provide nurturing supervision for educational communities, including mental health leads, designated safeguarding leads, teachers, and those following trauma-informed and attachment-aware (TIAA) pathways.
Our supervision extends to non-psychologists seeking support and CPD, such as social care teams, residential care homes, and senior leadership teams (SLT). Supervision is a vital part of caring for others, especially when supporting children and young people with complex histories and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). It helps create a safe space for you to reflect, share, and protect your well-being from the risks of vicarious trauma, secondary trauma, and compassion fatigue.
At Summit, we understand that reaching out for supervision can feel vulnerable. However, seeking support reflects your commitment to deepening your understanding, enhancing your practice, and connecting with others in meaningful and authentic ways. This nurturing process not only supports your personal and professional growth but also ensures that you are cared for as you continue your important work.
We are also proud to supervise Excellent Emotional Literacy Support Assistants (ELSAs) across Newcastle-Under-Lyme, Stafford, Tamworth, and Warwickshire, ensuring that high standards of care and practice are upheld in every role.
Play Therapy Supervision
Summit’s play therapy supervision is a tailored, collaborative process designed to nurture the professional and personal growth of play therapists. Through a range of methods and reflective discussions, play therapists are able to enhance their skills, explore therapeutic dynamics, and receive personalised feedback. Held once or twice a month, these sessions provide a safe space for ethical guidance, skill development, and emotional reflection, ensuring therapists continue to offer effective and supportive care to children.
How Play Therapy Supervision Can Help
In play therapy supervision, methods may include live observation, video recordings of sessions, and reflective discussions. Summit’s play therapy supervisor helps the development of therapeutic skills, understanding transference and countertransference dynamics, and applying theoretical knowledge in practice. We provide a bespoke supervisory space and seek to nurture your growth and development.
What To Expect
Play Therapy Supervision is a collaborative process that nurtures the ongoing professional and personal growth of play therapists. At Summit, we create a safe, supportive space where you can openly reflect on your practice, deepen your therapeutic skills, and explore the emotional impact of your work.
During supervision, you can expect a mixture of structured discussions, reflective practice, and hands-on methods, such as live observation and video analysis. We tailor supervision to your needs, whether you’re seeking to enhance your understanding of play therapy techniques, address specific complexities, or gain insights into therapeutic relationships.
Here are some of the elements of supervision that you may encounter in play therapy supervision at Summit:
- Supportive Reflection: We explore the emotional and psychological aspects of your work, helping you process significant cases, work through transference or countertransference issues, and maintain your own well-being.
- Skill Development: Supervision sessions provide opportunities for you to hone your therapeutic skills, enhance your theoretical knowledge, and refine your interventions in play therapy.
- Ethical Guidance: We emphasise ethical practice, helping you navigate intricate situations with integrity and clarity, ensuring that the therapeutic work remains safe, effective, and in the best interest of the child.
- Personalised Feedback: You will receive constructive feedback on your sessions, with a focus on developing your strengths and addressing any areas of growth. This may include reviewing video recordings of your sessions or engaging in live observation.
- Collaborative Growth: Our supervision is designed to be collaborative and responsive to your needs. You’ll have the opportunity to set goals for your professional development and reflect on your progress as you work towards them.
Our play therapy supervision sessions are typically held once or twice a month, lasting 60-90 minutes, depending on your needs. Supervision is offered in-person at our facilities in Newcastle-Under-Lyme and other locations in Staffordshire. By providing a trusting and nurturing environment, we help ensure that you can continue to offer safe and effective therapeutic support to the children you work with.
Excellent ELSA Supervision
Excellent ELSAs are required to attend six supervision sessions yearly to hold the role title. Summit’s Excellent ELSA supervision is highly valued, providing space where ELSAs can reflect on their practice in small groups. The supervision sessions, held across various locations, provide a valuable opportunity to discuss session content, session aims, to share experiences, and receive feedback from a very supportive community of practitioners. Summit supervision ensures the work of an Excellent ELSA remains safe, effective, and aligned with the fundamental principles of the role, while also supporting individual well-being and professional growth.
What is Excellent ELSA Supervision?
To retain registration and the role title of Excellent ELSA, practitioners attend six sessions of supervision throughout the school year, for two hours per session in groups of eight. We practise what we teach and love to nurture, offering welcoming supervisory spaces with a ready flow of refreshments in Newcastle-Under-Lyme, Stafford, Tamworth and Warwickshire.
In the Excellent ELSA context, supervision involves understanding the psychological development of children and young people, considering the meaning, functional, and adaptive behaviour of children and young people, and applying psychological principles to the process of supporting change, growth, and healing. We invite practitioners to take what you need, and bring what you can.
What To Expect
Excellent ELSA supervision is designed to ensure that Emotional Literacy Support Assistants (ELSAs) receive the support and guidance they need to provide effective, safe, and nurturing care for children and young people. Supervision is a collaborative, reflective process, where ELSAs can discuss their experiences, gain insights, and enhance their practice.
Supervision occurs in small groups, providing a confidential space for Excellent ELSAs to reflect on their work, share ideas, and benefit from the collective wisdom and experience of others. Sessions typically take place every half-term and last two hours. This regular supervision helps Excellent ELSAs maintain and deepen their psychological understanding, address presenting challenges, and ensure their work continues to align with the core principles of Summit’s Excellent ELSA training.
During supervision, you can expect to:
- Reflect on your practice and discuss any challenges you are facing.
- Receive supportive feedback to help refine and develop your approaches.
- Collaborate with other Excellent ELSAs, learning from their experiences to enhance your own practice.
- Explore the emotional impact of your work, discussing and sharing strategies for self-care, especially when working with vulnerable children.
- Address practical concerns, such as setting clear goals, managing caseloads, and evaluating the impact of your work.
- Continue creating and exploring alternative ways of working with children and young people that are relevant to their interests and needs.
By participating in regular supervision, you ensure that your practice remains safe, effective, and aligned with the national ELSA network model. It also provides a vital opportunity to support your personal well-being and professional growth, and to stay connected to the Excellent ELSA community, as you continue to make a difference in the lives of the children and young people you support.
Video Enhanced Reflective Practice (VERP)
Video Enhanced Reflective Practice (VERP) is a supportive process that helps adults working with vulnerable children and young people to enhance their own communication skills. Based on Video Interaction Guidance (VIG), VERP involves recording real-life interactions and reflecting on them with a skilled coach to identify strengths and areas for growth. This nurturing cycle of reflection and feedback helps build confidence, improve team dynamics, and ultimately benefits and builds relationships with children and young people. Summit’s VERP practitioner offers ongoing support to encourage continuous development and relationally aware communication.
What is Video Enhanced Reflective Practice (VERP)?
Video Enhanced Reflective Practice (VERP) uses video clips to enhance communication skills. With over 20 years of evidence supporting its effectiveness, VERP builds on the principles of Video Interaction Guidance (VIG) to develop positive, relationship-based communication between adults, children, and young people. Through a ‘reflect, do, and review’ cycle, guided by our skilled and specialist Therapeutic Educational Psychologist, professionals can significantly improve their interactions, boost confidence, and strengthen team dynamics—ultimately benefiting vulnerable children and young people.
Our VERP opportunities include Practice-Based Reflective Workshops, which combine initial training, group supervision, and evaluation sessions. These are tailored to support a wide range of professional groups, including residential care teams and educational communities supporting children and young people with a social worker. If you’re looking to enhance your team’s communication skills and professional growth, contact us to find out more.
What To Expect
When you engage in Video Enhanced Reflective Practice (VERP), you can expect a structured yet flexible process that supports reflection and growth in communication. The practice is designed to help you gain a deeper understanding of your interactions with others, particularly in professional settings where relationships with children, young people, and colleagues are central.
The VERP process typically involves the following steps:
- Initial Meeting and Goal Setting: Your VERP journey begins with an initial meeting with a skilled coach to discuss your goals and the areas of communication you wish to enhance. Together, you will identify specific aspects of your interactions that can be developed, with a focus on fostering positive and effective communication.
- Video Recording Sessions: During VERP, you will be video-recorded in your natural working environment while engaging in interactions with children, young people, or colleagues. The recordings will capture real-life moments, allowing for authentic reflection on your communication style.
- Reflective Viewing: Following the recording, you will meet with your VERP coach to watch short clips from the video. The focus will be on positive communication moments, helping you to build confidence in your strengths and identify areas for development. This reflective viewing process is designed to be constructive and supportive, rather than critical.
- Feedback and Discussion: Your VERP coach will guide you through the reflective process by offering feedback and facilitating discussions. Together, you will explore what worked well in your interactions and how small changes can lead to even more positive outcomes.
- Action Planning: Based on the reflections and discussions, you will develop an action plan to apply new communication strategies in your daily practice. The goal is to help you grow and strengthen your ability to connect with others in meaningful and effective ways.
- Follow-Up and Continued Reflection: VERP is an ongoing process that may involve follow-up sessions to review progress, adjust goals, and continue refining your communication skills. These sessions are designed to provide continuous support and help you maintain the positive changes you’ve implemented.
Throughout the VERP process, you can expect a safe, respectful, and collaborative environment where your growth is nurtured. By focusing on positive reinforcement and reflective practice, VERP helps you build stronger, more effective relationships, whether with children, young people, or professional teams.
Clinical Supervision
Clinical Supervision is a reflective and supportive process aimed at helping professionals maintain high standards of practice while safeguarding their emotional well-being. At Summit, supervision provides a confidential space where psychologists, play therapists, teachers, and care teams can discuss challenges, receive guidance, and nurture their professional growth. Led by highly trained supervisors, these sessions focus on reflective dialogue, ethical practice, and self-care. Regular supervision helps professionals navigate difficult cases, manage emotional impacts, and prevent burnout, ensuring they continue to deliver high-quality care to vulnerable children and young people.
What is Clinical Supervision?
Clinical Supervision is a supportive and reflective process designed to help professionals in health, social care, education, and other sectors to maintain high standards of practice while ensuring their emotional and psychological well-being. It is distinct from management supervision and focuses on creating a safe, confidential space where practitioners can discuss their work, explore challenges, and seek guidance. Supervision invites reflective practice, nurtures professional growth, and helps maintain an ethical approach to supporting children, young people, and families.
At Summit, we offer compassionate supervision to psychologists, play therapists, teachers, residential care teams, and professionals working with vulnerable children and young people. Our supervisors have undertaken additional training specifically for supervision, and some are registered with the British Psychological Society as RAPPS (Registered Applied Practice Psychology Supervisor), ensuring the highest standards of supervision. We understand that the work you do can be both rewarding and emotionally demanding, and we aim to provide a space where you can reflect on your practice, manage the impact of your work, and continue developing your skills in a supportive environment.
What To Expect
During supervision, you can expect a nurturing and collaborative process that prioritises your well-being and professional development. Sessions are typically one-to-one or in small groups and are facilitated by a skilled and supportive supervisor. Our supervisors, having undergone additional supervision training, bring expertise and understanding to help you navigate your professional challenges. They are committed to ensuring that you receive the highest level of care and guidance.
Together, you will reflect on your work, exploring both the challenges and successes in a non-judgmental space. The focus is on helping you gain insight into your practice, improve decision-making, and enhance your professional growth.
In supervision, you will have the opportunity to:
Discuss difficult cases or situations that may feel overwhelming
Receive feedback and guidance on your practice
Explore emotional responses and their impact on your work
Strengthen your confidence and skills through reflective dialogue
Ensure that you are practising ethically and in line with current standards
Support the maintenance of a sense of balance and self-care in your professional life
By regularly attending supervision, you can shield yourself from burnout, vicarious trauma, and compassion fatigue, ensuring that you continue to provide high-quality care to those you support. Our supervision sessions are designed to empower you to thrive both personally and professionally.
Reflective Conversations
Reflective Conversations offer a flexible, informal approach to professional support. In these sessions, you will engage in a collaborative dialogue with a trained facilitator in a safe, compassionate space, allowing you to explore your work, emotions, and challenges at your own pace.
Rooted in reflective practice, these conversations encourage continuous learning and self-awareness. You might discuss specific interactions, reflect on personal goals, or explore feelings about particular situations. The aim is to help you gain clarity, enhance your practice, and maintain emotional balance.
Reflective Conversations also support developing effective relationship-based communication, ensuring that you feel empowered and equipped to navigate the complexities of your role with increased confidence.
What is Reflective Conversation?
Reflective Conversations offer a flexible and sessional approach to professional support. This process is less formal than clinical supervision but equally valuable for personal and professional growth. Reflective Conversations focus on exploring actions, decisions, and experiences in a safe and supportive space, allowing for greater self-awareness and insight.
These conversations invite you to pause, reflect, and make sense of your experiences. We provide a compassionate and respectful environment where you can explore the meaning behind your work, acknowledge the emotional impact, and gain new perspectives. Reflective Conversations help you deepen your understanding of yourself and your practice, fostering personal growth and professional resilience.
What To Expect
Reflective Conversations are designed to be collaborative and nurturing. During these sessions, we will start from where you are—whether you’re seeking clarity on a particular issue, reflecting on a recent experience, or simply wanting to explore your emotional responses to your work. Our role is to hold space for you, offering gentle guidance and encouragement as you reflect on your experiences.
In Reflective Conversations, you can expect:
- A safe, open, and non-judgmental environment
- The freedom to explore emotions, thoughts, and decisions at your own pace
- Gentle questions and prompts to help you gain deeper insight
- A focus on personal growth, self-awareness, and emotional well-being
- Practical strategies for improving future practice and fostering self-care
Reflective Conversations are a valuable tool for ensuring that you remain connected to your values, maintain emotional balance, and continue to grow as a professional. Over time, these sessions can enhance your ability to provide empathetic and effective care while nourishing your own well-being.
