Do I Need a Clinical Supervision Contract?

You don’t need a supervision contract in the same way you need oxygen.

But you do need it in the same way you need a seatbelt.

Most days? You won’t think about it.

One day? You’ll be very glad it’s there.

Here’s why.

The problem with supervision isn’t supervision

The problem is assumptions.

Supervision is one of those things we all “do”… but rarely define.

So two people walk into a supervision relationship thinking:

• “This is a space to think clinically and be challenged.”

• “This is a space to offload and get reassurance.”

Both reasonable but Both different.

And if you never name the difference, you’re going to waste a lot of paid time politely missing each other.

A contract fixes that.

Because it’s clear.

What a supervision contract actually does

A good contract is basically a tiny operating manual for two humans doing emotionally loaded work.

It does three jobs:

1) It stops supervision drifting into 'meh'

Supervision drift might look like:

• “We always run out of time”

• “We never get to the stuff I’m actually stuck on”

• “We keep talking about the same two clients”

• “I don’t know if I’m meant to lead this or they are”

• “I feel weird bringing recordings now, it’s been six months”

• “It’s fine, it’s fine… except it isn’t”

• 
  

A contract gives you something to point to other than your feelings.

2) It makes feedback normal

It’s almost never about a “bad supervisor” or a “difficult supervisee”.

Usually things go unsaid and then it’s too late.

Contracts make feedback easier because you can say:

“We said we’d focus on risk and endings. We haven’t. Should we adjust?”

That’s a lot easier than:

“I’m not sure this is working.”

3) It makes supervision defensible

You don’t plan for complaints. Nobody wakes up thinking “today feels like a tribunal day”.

But if something escalates, the question becomes:

• Did you have supervision?

• Was it regular?

• Was it appropriate to your scope of practice?

• Is there any record of what you discussed and agreed?

• 
  

  A contract makes things way easier

Peer supervision contracts: do they matter?

Yes.

Peer supervision is where people most often assume: “We’re all professionals, it’s fine.”

Peer groups still deal with:

• confidentiality boundaries

• risk dilemmas

• disagreements about practice

• avoidance patterns (because nobody wants to be ‘that person’)

• 
  

A simple agreement makes the group more robust.

If you supervise others, contracts matter even more

Because the power dynamic is there

Even if you’re lovely.

And if you’re supervising in an organisation, the biggest danger is role confusion:

• Are you supervising?

• Are you managing?

• Are you assessing?

• Are you writing reports?

Sometimes you’ll be doing more than one. That’s fine. Just be clear. A contract helps you do that

Bottom line

A supervision contract is not about being bureaucratic.

You just don't want a predictable mess.

It gives you:

• clarity

• structure

• permission to review

• protection when things get complicated

  
  

And it takes about ten minutes to set up properly.

Which is a decent trade for something you do for years…

Want a supervision contract template?

I’ve put together a brief and a full supervision contract template you can download and adapt.

Grab it here: Coming soon

And if you’re trying to find a supervisor that actually fits your work (instead of whoever happens to have a slot), browse profiles on Supervisor Platform: