Supervision has emerged as a separate and distinct field within the counselling and clinical profession over the last ten to fifteen years. Movement towards professional status has been awakening.

 

Presently in Australia, the peek professional industry bodies recognise that supervision is a distinct intervention that is different from counselling and clinical practice, and require their supervisors to adhere to certain standards in relation to their preparation, education, and registration purposes.

 

The standards are an attempt to identify the core competencies of supervisors. This includes areas that characterize and effective supervisor in relation to their knowledge, competencies, and personal traits, as consistently identified in supervision research and literature. The standards will be regularly reviewed, on an annual basis, in collaboration with the Australian peak professional bodies representing supervisors.

 

ISOCCS is hoping that these initial standards for supervisors will contribute to the increasing recognition and the status of this specialist field in Australia and internationally. Ultimately however, the level of professional maturity of the industry will be the true measure of the implementation of these standards.