Creating Safe Spaces: Constructing a model of clinical supervision of moral and ethical discussion for future community facing practitioners

• In Event: Advances in Teaching Methods

Abstract

The presence of unconscious bias within decision making is well established (e.g. Tversky & Kahneman, 1974). Reviews have indicated that, though researchers are examining avenues to combat unconscious bias, there is insufficient evidence to support any specific intervention currently in use (Corsino & Fuller, 2021; FitzGerald, Martin, Berner, & Hurst, 2019) nor is there sufficient evidence that unconscious bias training is sufficient to change behaviour (Noon, 2018). Within policing settings, for example, research on this type of training has indicated that the impacts on the day are promising – with officers increasing their knowledge about, and motivation to reduce, bias – but these effects do not persist one month after the training (Lai & Lisnek, 2023). Given the importance of making sound moral judgements within practice, our research team sought to explore the ways in which ethics and morality is taught within programmes where students will become community practitioners (e.g. Policing, Criminology, Youth and Community Work; Allen-Walker & Williams, 2024). The key finding that emerged from this research was a need for a form of clinical supervision for both students and staff. Staff reported that this would support operation within the moral grey that is working in community settings and would allow students to consider their own biases and morality. As a result of these findings, we have conducted focus groups with industry practitioners who teach on degrees training learners who will be community-facing. In these groups, we co-constructed a model of clinical supervision for non-clinical settings. Use of this model will enable discussion of complex ethical issues, personal ontology and professional standards in a safe space, while challenging preconceived ideas and supporting moral reflection. These discussions will enhance students’ practice beyond their degree and help staff to reflect on their current practice.

Authors

• Louise Allen-Walker, Cardiff Metropolitan University

• Daniel Williams, Cardiff Metropolitan University