FY25 Reflective Supervision Trainings

University of Kentucky Center on Trauma and Children Proposal to the Department of Community Based Services (DCBS) Project Title: Well@Work for Child Welfare: Statewide Implementation of Reflective Supervision Ginny Sprang, Ph.D. (PI) Project effective dates: July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2027 Scope of Work The University of Kentucky Center on Trauma and Children (CTAC) will implement and evaluate a reflective supervision model for all DCBS supervisors in Protection and Permanency and Family Support under the program name “Well@Work for Child Welfare”. This model will use a implementation process to train supervisors at all ranks to provide evidence-informed, trauma responsive resiliency building strategies and practices, address secondary traumatic stress, burnout and moral distress in the workforce through a reflective supervision model. Additionally, CTAC will provide Community Circle sessions every other week to provide additional support for these trainees, recognizing that a key competency for any supervisor is to have their own methods of self-care. Finally, CTAC will evaluate the implementation and effectiveness of the program by collecting data on the development of supervisory competency in reflective supervision, and uptake and scale up of the Well@Work for Child Welfare model. Specifically, these services will include (organized by year). Year 1: Wave 1 participants (Protection and Permanency supervisors) • Delivery of four, in-person trainings (each 1 ½ days or 9 hours of training) at regional locations (e.g. two in Frankfort, two in Bowling Green). These trainings will focus on the core competencies of reflective supervision, and will be designed to be didactic, experiential, and restorative. Throughout the process we will be mindful of that those who are providing reflective supervision are also trauma-exposed and need to attend to their own well-being to provide effective support. • Monthly Community of Practice calls will support the development of competencies and provide ongoing support for supervisors as they implement reflective supervision. • Community Circle sessions will be held twice a month for supervisors involved in the process who need additional support. These sessions are designed to be restorative in nature and create space for strengths-based and intentional communication about shared experience, the building of supportive relationships, and a safe space to develop effective strategies. • Evaluation of program implementation and effectiveness using the following tools o Because we believe that developing competency in reflective supervision and utilization of the internal supports will result in lower levels of distress in supervisors, we will conduct pre and post testing of secondary traumatic stress and burnout. This will be done anonymously and voluntarily, and will be presented in aggregate only. o Effectiveness of the program to create competency in reflective supervision will be measured by pre and post testing using the supervisory competency self-rating tool. o Implementation and sustainability will be measured by tracking supervisor utilization of reflective supervision as measured in several different ways: uptake of skills into practice, utilization of the program supportive services (e.g. community of practice, community circles program, training attendance and completion). • Basecamp access for all participants to facilitate sharing of resources and project management support Year 2: Continuation of services to Wave 1 and addition of Wave 2 (Family Support) • Continuation of Community Circle sessions for Wave 1 • Continuation of Community of Practice for Wave 1 Addition of Wave 2: Family Support • Delivery of four, in-person trainings (each 1 ½ days or 9 hours of training) at regional locations (e.g. two in Frankfort, two in Bowling Green). These trainings will focus on the core competencies of reflective supervision, and will be designed to be didactic, experiential, and restorative. Throughout the process we will be mindful of that those who are providing reflective supervision are also trauma-exposed and need to attend to their own well-being to provide effective support. • Monthly Community of Practice calls will support the development of competencies and provide ongoing support for supervisors as they implement reflective supervision. • Community Circle sessions will be held twice a month for supervisors involved in the process who need additional support. These sessions are designed to be restorative in nature and create space for strengths-based and intentional communication about shared experience, the building of supportive relationships, and a safe space to develop effective strategies. • Evaluation of program implementation and effectiveness using the following tools o Because we believe that developing competency in reflective supervision and utilization of the internal supports will result in lower levels of distress in supervisors, we will conduct pre and post testing of secondary traumatic stress and burnout. This will be done anonymously and voluntarily, and will be presented in aggregate only. o Effectiveness of the program to create competency in reflective supervision will be measured by pre and post testing using the supervisory competency self-rating tool. o Implementation and sustainability will be measured by tracking supervisor utilization of reflective supervision as measured in several different ways: uptake of skills into practice, utilization of the program supportive services (e.g. community of practice, community circles program, training attendance and completion). • Basecamp access for all participants to facilitate sharing of resources and project management support Year 3: • Continuation of Community Circle sessions for Wave 1 and 2 • Continuation of Community of Practice for Wave 1 and 2 • Delivery of one, in-person training (1 ½ days or 9 hours of training) at regional location specified by DCBS to accommodate new hires or supervisors who were unable to make previous trainings. This training will focus on the core competencies of reflective supervision, and will be designed to be didactic, experiential, and restorative. Throughout the process we will be mindful of that those who are providing reflective supervision are also trauma-exposed and need to attend to their own well-being to provide effective support. • Formal evaluation of program for Waves 1 & 2 and completion of an evaluation report. • Meeting with DCBS to review the evaluation report and discuss next steps. • Basecamp access for all participants to facilitate sharing of resources and project management support