Help me to help them: Proposing a model of clinical supervision for university staff teaching on degrees preparing students for community-facing roles

• In Event: Enhancing Student Support and Experiential Learning in Criminology Education

Abstract

Universities are an important vehicle for the construction of professional identity on the scaffold of professional standards, codes of practice and legislation (Allen-Walker & Williams, 2025, In review; Clarke et al., 2012; Qadhi et al., 2024). We previously examined the ways in which morality and ethics are taught on programmes that prepare students for community-facing roles (e.g. Policing, Criminology, Youth and Community Work) and our findings indicated a need for clinical supervision for both staff and students (Allen-Walker & Williams, 2025, In review). Clinical supervision gives professionals a space to reflect on their practice and develop their knowledge in a supportive environment with another professional in their field (HCPC, 2021). In this presentation we will be focussing on clinical supervision of higher education staff. Our research indicated that this is particularly needed as many of these staff are impacted by issues that students encounter within practice. These complex moral issues can incur an emotional load which would, in practice, be cause for a staff member to seek support in the form of supervision. But in higher education there is no specific avenue for support, from someone experienced in the profession, with this emotional load. We co-constructed models of clinical supervision that would be suitable for higher education staff working on programmes preparing students for community-facing roles. Drawing on our findings from interviews with third-sector workers in the prison sector and the co-construction activities with university staff, we will outline our proposed recommendations for a model of clinical supervision for university staff supporting students who are preparing to work in community-facing roles. This model would allow higher education staff a space to discuss complex ethical issues within their practice, professional standards and personal ontology in a manner that will support both their teaching practice and their mental health.

Authors

• Louise Allen-Walker, Cardiff Metropolitan University

• Daniel Williams, Cardiff Metropolitan University