Home » Practice supervisor KSS 3: shaping and influencing the practice system

Practice supervisor KSS 3: shaping and influencing the practice system

Last updated: 8 June 2023

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This page sets out the knowledge and skills listed under practice supervisor KSS 3 (shaping and influencing the practice system) in the Department for Education’s post-qualifying standard: knowledge and skills statement for child and family practice supervisors (KSS). Against this, we have mapped Community Care Inform guides, research, learning tools and other resources to help supervisors meet and evidence this part of the statement for career and continuing professional development. The links to the resources are in blue; click to follow them to the page you’re interested in.

What does the statement say?	Resources to help you
The practice supervisor will be able to: • Provide a safe, calm and well-ordered environment for all staff, ensuring that processes are fit for purpose and efficient. Create an ethos within which staff are motivated and supported to be ambitious on behalf of children and families. • Use resources, including those that lie within families and communities, to the best effect. Facilitate constant reflective thinking about the welfare of families and the safety of children. Build and develop influential and respectful partnerships between practitioners and partner agencies. Pay attention to different structures, pressures, priorities and levers for influencing and shaping the thinking of others. • Share practice knowledge and expertise and influence the wider organisation and national system to function to the best effect. • Offer constructive advice and creative, strengths-based solutions to difficulties	Case study – from manager to leader Case study – working more effectively with partner agencies Case study – managing upwards Case study – managing older and more experienced team members These examples from managers in a range of roles and locations give insights into how others have motivated staff, created a team culture and ethos, managed different structures with partners and influenced the thinking of others.Videos and guides in the supervision hub help supervisors facilitate reflective thinking. You could also encourage practitioners to use the exercises and examples in Critical reflection: how to develop it in your practice Introduction to social work leadership Based on research by Firstline, this guide explores qualities leaders use to influence others and prompts you to think about how you would respond in different situations. Strengths-based working knowledge and practice hub Provides information on strengths-based approaches such as motivational interviewing, systemic practice, Signs of Safety and solution-focused practice, with podcasts and videos demonstrating what these techniques and approaches might look like in practice.

What does the statement say?

Resources to help you

The practice supervisor will be able to:

• Provide a safe, calm and well-ordered environment for all staff, ensuring that processes are fit for purpose and efficient. Create an ethos within which staff are motivated and supported to be ambitious on behalf of children and families.

• Use resources, including those that lie within families and communities, to the best effect. Facilitate constant reflective thinking about the welfare of families and the safety of children. Build and develop influential and respectful partnerships between practitioners and partner agencies. Pay attention to different structures, pressures, priorities and levers for influencing and shaping the thinking of others.

• Share practice knowledge and expertise and influence the wider organisation and national system to function to the best effect.

• Offer constructive advice and creative, strengths-based solutions to difficulties

Case study – from manager to leader
Case study – working more effectively with partner agencies
Case study – managing upwards
Case study – managing older and more experienced team members
These examples from managers in a range of roles and locations give insights into how others have motivated staff, created a team culture and ethos, managed different structures with partners and influenced the thinking of others.Videos and guides in the supervision hub help supervisors facilitate reflective thinking. You could also encourage practitioners to use the exercises and examples in Critical reflection: how to develop it in your practice

Introduction to social work leadership
Based on research by Firstline, this guide explores qualities leaders use to influence others and prompts you to think about how you would respond in different situations.

Strengths-based working knowledge and practice hub
Provides information on strengths-based approaches such as motivational interviewing, systemic practice, Signs of Safety and solution-focused practice, with podcasts and videos demonstrating what these techniques and approaches might look like in practice.

You might be interested in…

– Online resource map for all parts of the KSS for practice supervisors
– PDF version of the resource map for all parts of the practice supervisor KSS
– Quick guide to the knowledge and skills statements and their role in the ASYE and ongoing professional development
– Map of resources for the child and family practitioner KSS

Practice supervisor KSS 3: shaping and influencing the practice system

What does the statement say?

Resources to help you

Links to resource maps for other parts of the KSS:

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