An effective supervision policy and structure within early years settings demonstrates a commitment to positive working relationships, fosters open communication among managers and other staff, and promotes good practice. Supervision requires all staff to take time away from the day-to-day demands of their jobs and reflect on their work on a regular basis.
Yet, early years practitioners can feel uncomfortable with the term 'supervision', which seems to imply being overseen, and this can evoke fear of being under surveillance, at risk of being judged or deemed inadequate in some way. While 'performance management' is one of the three key functions of supervision - with the others being support and development - research suggests that good performance is more likely when a manager is respectful, assumes a collegial stance and comes alongside the staff member, inviting them to review their work and discuss any pressing issues - and suggesting that together they might achieve a clearer and wider perspective (Hamlin & Sawyer, 2007), ultimately enabling 'super-VISION'.
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