This informal CPD article ‘Beyond Appraisals: Why Reflective Supervision Matters as Much as Performance Management’ was provided by Regina Riley, Founder of Adoniso, a training and development organisation committed to enhancing the quality of care for children and young people through emotionally intelligent, trauma-informed practice.
Supervision is essential in care and education, but not all supervision is created equal. Many organisations prioritise performance management supervision, focused on outcomes, compliance, and targets. While vital, this is only half the story. For staff working in emotionally intensive roles, especially with children and young people (CYP) or vulnerable adults, reflective supervision is equal, if not more important.
Performance management vs. reflective supervision
Performance management supervision tracks what is being done. It supports accountability, ensures consistency, and aligns staff activity with organisational goals. Reflective supervision, however, focuses on how the work is being experienced. It holds space for emotional processing, values conflicts, relational dynamics, and the internal impact of care work.
Without reflective supervision, care becomes mechanical. Staff meet KPIs but carry emotional burdens silently. This can lead to vicarious trauma, burnout, and a gradual erosion of empathy. Emotional stress is either suppressed or leaks out in reactive practice. Over time, this harms both staff and the people they support.
Understanding reflective supervision
Reflective supervision provides a structured opportunity to slow down and make meaning. Staff can explore what triggered them, how team dynamics affect their responses, or how their personal values intersect with policy. These sessions build emotional intelligence, enhance relational safety, and strengthen professional resilience.
But here's the critical nuance: reflective supervision should not be confused with managerial oversight. When line managers act as both performance assessors and emotional supervisors, trust can be compromised. Staff may self-censor, fearing judgement or repercussions. True reflective work requires psychological safety, neutrality, and containment.
This is why external or independent reflective supervision is so important. An external facilitator brings fresh perspective, confidentiality, and emotional neutrality. They are not entangled in power dynamics or organisational politics. Staff are more likely to be honest, open, and vulnerable in these spaces, leading to deeper growth and more effective reflection.
In trauma-informed settings, especially where care is relational and intensive, this separation is not a luxury; it’s a necessity. Organisations that value staff wellbeing must structurally embed both forms of supervision. One without the other is incomplete.
Final thoughts
Performance management ensures staff are doing things right. Reflective supervision supports staff in doing the right things, ethically, relationally, and with emotional integrity. Together, they form a whole-practice model that respects both accountability and humanity.
External reflective supervision should be part of every team’s CPD plan. It is not about replacing management. It’s about complementing it. When staff are emotionally held, they hold others better. When they are listened to, they listen more deeply. This is the quiet power of reflective practice.
If we want sustainable, emotionally intelligent care and education systems, we must fund, prioritise, and protect reflective supervision as a professional right and not a privilege.
We hope this article was helpful. For more information from Adoniso, please visit their CPD Member Directory page. Alternatively, you can go to the CPD Industry Hubs for more articles, courses and events relevant to your Continuing Professional Development requirements.
References
Morrison, T. (2005). Staff supervision in social care: Making a real difference for staff and service users. Pavilion Publishing.
Munro, E. (2011). The Munro Review of Child Protection. London: Department for Education.
NICE (2018). Post-traumatic stress disorder: Recommendations for professionals in high-risk roles. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.
SCIE (2022). Supervision and reflective practice in social care. London: Social Care Institute for Excellence.
