Program Goals

The goals of the Supervision Matters Training Series: Journey Through Supervision are:

• Augment knowledge and understanding of key leadership concepts and supervisory skills.
• Enhance self-awareness around supervisory strengths and growth opportunities.
• Increase confidence and ability to apply effective leadership and coaching skills to enhance supervisory practice with individual workers and teams.
• Examine and apply strategies for creating and maintaining a culture and climate that promotes a sense of belonging and team cohesiveness.
• Develop connections and a learning community with other child welfare supervisors from around the state as a resource for ongoing professional growth and support following training completion.
• Strengthen ability to manage challenges and communicate effectively with individual workers, teams, colleagues, and upper management in order to achieve desired outcomes.

Logic Model

The program representative did not provide information about a Logic Model for Supervision Matters Training Series: Journey Through Supervision.

Essential Components

The essential components of the Supervision Matters Training Series: Journey Through Supervision include:

• Each cohort is typically limited to a maximum of 30 participants to allow for individualized feedback and optimal learning and growth.
• Asynchronous Prerequisite Learning:
• Prior to being officially enrolled into the Supervision Matters Training Series, participants are asked to complete virtual, asynchronous prerequisite work designed to provide a foundation for classroom learning. If prework is not completed at least 2 weeks before the start-date of training, participants are removed from the roster and asked to enroll in a future cohort. It is estimated that the prerequisite learning requires approximately 3-4 hours to complete.
• Prerequisite assignments focus on the following:
• 5 Star Review: Participants are asked to develop their own professional learning plan and goals as supervisors.
• Feedback: Participants review types of feedback, guidelines for effective feedback, and learn some tools to use when providing feedback.
• MEA Lecturette: Participants learn about Management Effective Analysis (MEA) and how it can be used to support them in effectively leading a team.
• TOL and Learning about Ourselves: Participants explore the ins and outs of Transfer of Learning (TOL) theory and why supporting TOL matters in order to be an effective supervisor and achieve desired child welfare outcomes.
• Synchronous Learning Modules:
• Built around a journey theme (a CAB ride), the series includes three separate virtual synchronous learning modules, offered over the course of three months, which are centered around building core knowledge and augmenting critical supervisory skills:
• Module C (Culture):
• Topics related to creating and maintaining a work culture and climate that promotes physical and psychological safety and embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• High Level Core Concepts Covered in Module C:
• Increasing Self-Awareness Around Supervisory Strengths and Growth Opportunities
• Exploring the impact of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion on Supervisory Practice
• Understanding and Appreciating Diversity
• Power and Privilege Dynamics as they Impact Supervisory Practice
• Managing Microaggressions in the Workplace
• Transitioning to the Leadership Role
• Management versus Leadership
• Using Supervisory “Power” and Position Effectively
• Organizational Culture and Climate (including Safety Culture)
• Safety of Workers (Physical and Psychological)
• Module A (Academics):
• Topics related to the educational and professional development of individual workers and teams.
• High Level Core Concepts Covered in Module A:
• Communication and Social Styles
• Conflict Management Styles
• Managing Up
• Team Development
• Hurdles in Team Development
• Stages of Staff Development
• Promoting Staff Development
• New Staff Orientation and Onboarding
• Communicating Expectations
• Standards of Practice (including policies and procedures)
• Module B (Business):
• Topics related to promoting and maintaining high standards of work to best serve children, youth, and families.
• High Level Core Concepts Covered in Module B:
• Signs of Safety and Supervision
• Coaching and Coaching Skills to Enhance Supervisory Practice
• Managing Unsatisfactory Work Performance
• Handling Challenges and Bumps in the Road
• Individual Supervision
• Group and Peer Supervision
• Running Effective Unit Meetings
• Time Management
• Delegation
• Change Management
• Monitoring Performance
• Effective Provision of Feedback
• Simulation Experiences:
• Live simulation experiences are a critical and integral component of the Supervision Matters Training Series. At the conclusion of each virtual, synchronous learning module, participants take part in an in-person simulation day.
• Why?
• Simulation-based learning is designed to place participants in situations where they can practice and apply newly learned skills and knowledge in situations that closely approximate what they will encounter on the job.
• The goal is to enhance skill development and transfer of learning by bridging the gap between classroom training and real-world application in a relatively safe and risk-free environment.
• Research on simulation-based training suggests that it not only supports increased knowledge retention but also facilitates learning and application of complex skills across multiple domains.
• How?
• Each simulation activity is facilitated by skilled trainers and utilizes volunteer actors so that participants can demonstrate and put into practice a variety of the skills they learned in training.
• Structured, behaviorally specific feedback around strengths and areas for growth is provided to each participant from their peers and facilitators.
• What?
• Simulation experiences typically afford participants the opportunity to practice individual supervision skills, as well as unit meetings and group supervision.
• Participants are provided with scenarios to choose from and are also welcome to bring real-life challenges and experiences.

Program Delivery

Recommended Intensity:

Completion of four prerequisite asynchronous assignments (approximately 3-4 hours to complete); Participation in seven days (5.5-6 hours each day) of synchronous, virtual training over the course of 3 months; Participation in 3 in-person simulation days (5.5 hours each).

Recommended Duration:

3 months

Delivery Setting

This program is typically conducted in a(n):

• Public Child Welfare Agency (Dept. of Social Services, etc.)

Homework

This program does not include a homework component.

Resources Needed to Run Program

The typical resources for implementing the program are:

Large training room, break-out rooms for simulations, and virtual platform and appropriate technology for online delivery. It is highly recommended that the series be co-facilitated.

Manuals and Training

Prerequisite/Minimum Provider Qualifications

Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), relevant child welfare and supervisory experience, and experience facilitating training with adult learners strongly preferred.

Manual Information

There is a manual that describes how to deliver this program.

Program Manual(s)

There is a facilitator’s guide/curriculum for the Supervision Matters Training Series that is utilized as a guide by the Child Welfare Academy Team. It has not been formally published.

Training Information

There is training available for this program.

Training Contact:

• Roxanna Goodwin, LMSW, Lead Training Specialist
  Child Welfare Academy
  Roxanna.goodwin@ssw.umaryland.edu
  phone: (410) 706-4210

Training Type/Location:

Interested agencies may observe the Supervision Matters Training Series that supervisors attend. Phone or in-person consultation is available. Key parts of the curriculum could potentially be shared as permitted by the Maryland Department of Human Services, Social Services Administration and the curriculum originator.

Additional resources are available after training such as trainer self-assessments and debriefs and trainer observations. Participants also complete a learning and skills assessment before and after training and a feedback survey following completion of the series to assess efficacy and impact.

Number of days/hours:

Varies based on the needs of the interested agency.

Relevant Published, Peer-Reviewed Research

There are currently no published, peer-reviewed research studies on outcomes with the appropriate target population for the topic area(s) in which Supervision Matters Training Series: Journey Through Supervision has been reviewed.

Additional References

No reference materials are currently available for Supervision Matters Training Series: Journey Through Supervision.