ABSTRACT
Supervision has become increasingly prevalent in clinical settings over the course of my professional career. It is generally seen to be a ‘good thing’ but some researchers have recently questioned not only its usefulness but also whether it can be harmful. This chapter explores whether supervision is worth doing, whether it is worth learning how to do it, and discusses its value and place in organisations. The research evidence base is described in the context of contrasting worldviews. It is argued that competence is defined by tacit rather than explicit knowledge and that whilst competencies can be described and assessed, they may not tell us a great deal about people’s practice post-qualification.
