Experienced supervisors reflect on an increasingly legislated supervision practice environment

The past decade has seen the introduction of significant legislation into the fields of health and social services in New Zealand, namely the Health Practitioners’ Competency Assurance Act (2003)) and Social Work Registration Act (2003). This study explores the impact of this more legislated managed practice climate on supervision, researching and capturing the experiences of seven experienced supervisors who have been working over this period of time. Key themes emerged from the study confirming that legislation has had a significant effect on supervisor’s respective professions, and in turn an effect on the nature of supervision as it occurs in their practice. Supervisors are noticing a greater expectation of organisations of supervision; a greater level of bureaucracy and preoccupation with risk impacting on practitioners and which is impacting the needs of supervisees within supervision. Supervisors identified ways they are responding to these shifts and offer strategies and understandings they are drawing upon to inform them in these times