Financial and Consumer Rights Council Inc

Professional Development and Supervision Policy

Developed by the Board of the Financial and Consumer Rights Council Inc

Pursuant to Clause 7 of the Constitution

Date of this policy February 2013

1.Background

The Constitution of the Financial and Consumer Rights Council Inc (FCRC) provides that the Board will prescribe requirements for Professional Development and Supervision for members and associate members of FCRC. By this policy, the Board sets out the prescribed requirements for Professional Development and Supervision for members.

2.Supervision

2.1Definition of supervision

Supervision is a process in which one worker is given responsibility to work with another worker in order to meet certain organisational, professional and personal objectives.[1]

Supervision is a framework that aims to

Provide the best service for the client and confidence for consumers that the best practice service delivery is applied to the delivery of financial counselling casework practice
Extend the Financial Counsellor’s knowledge, skill set and awareness
Support financial counsellors to debrief and develop in their role
Promote quality service delivery and professionalism

2.2Essential feature of supervision

The essential feature of supervision is a relationship between Supervisee and Supervisor that is a two-way relationship that allows for the cycle of experience, reflection, analysis and action to occur in a respectful, dynamic and confidential way.

2.3Relationship between supervision and management

It is desirable that the Supervisor and Supervisee relationship occurs outside a line management relationship.

Where supervision occurs within a line management relationship, it should occur separately to performance management, debriefing and other management activities.

2.4 Qualifications of supervisor

The Supervisor must be chosen from a list of supervisors accredited by FCRC. The minimum eligibility requirements for accreditation as a supervisor are:

Either hold Full membership of FCRC and a minimum of the equivalent of three years full time work as a financial counsellor, or
Those with specialist expertise, such as a solicitor with expertise in consumer credit and debt law working directly with financial counsellors;

And

Completion of the Professional Supervision Training Program offered by FCRC; and
Participation in the ongoing supervision training program offered by FCRC.

FCRC will review and update the accredited list annually

FCRC will organise an approved supervision training program biennially or as required to enable new supervisors to become accredited.

2.5 Requirements for supervision

All full members and associate members of FCRC working as financial counsellors shall engage in supervision.

The minimum requirements as a Supervisee are

a minimum of 10 hours per year for those members employed twenty hours a week or more
A minimum of 6 hours per year for those members employed less than twenty hours per week.

Ideally, Supervision sessions will occur in sessions of at least one hour each spread throughout the year.

Where possible, supervision will occur in face-to-face meetings between the Supervisee and Supervisor. Where this is not possible, then supervision may occur by videoconference, telephone, or over a course of emails, provided that face-to-face contact between Supervisee and Supervisor occurs at least twice per year.

2.5.1 Where possible, specialist financial counsellors, for example problem gambling and rural financial counsellors, shall be in a supervision relationship with a Supervisor who has that same specialisation.

2.5.2Accredited supervisors must undertake supervision with an accredited supervisor external to their agency.

2.6The supervision agreement and record keeping

Agencies will be responsible for:

2.6.1 Making arrangements for supervision of all financial counsellors;

2.6.2 Having regard to the nature of the supervision relationship, the agency shall consult financial counsellors about the choice of an appropriate Supervisor;

and

2.6.3 Negotiating the remuneration rate and terms of engagement for the services of the Supervisor, if required

2.7 Record keeping

2.7.1 The Supervisor and Supervisee shall enter into a written Supervision Program Agreement in accordance with the model agreement developed by FCRC.

2.7.2The Supervisee will keep a log of all supervision in the form provided by FCRC and shall submit this log to FCRC when applying for renewal of membership of FCRC.

2.7.3FCRC will maintain a current list of approvedsupervisors and outline core competencies of a Supervisor on its website.

3Professional Development

3.1 Aims of Professional Development

Continuing professional development is the means by which members of the financial counselling profession maintain, improve and broaden their knowledge, expertise and competence, and develop the personal and professional qualities required throughout their professional lives.

The Professional Development cycle involves reviewing practice, identifying learning needs, planning and participating in relevant learning activities, and reflecting on the value of those activities.[2]

3.2 Definition of Professional Development

3.2.1Professional Development that meets the requirements of this policy shall consist of:

Programs provided by FCRC and
Other Professional Development Activities

3.2.2 Programs provided by FCRC

PD coordinated by FCRC
PD delivered at FCA and FCRC conferences
PD coordinated withregional FC networks in accordance with FCRC guidelines
Previous PD that is available for viewing on the FCRC website

3.2.2Other Professional Development not delivered by FCRC maybe considered as meeting PD requirements.

Members are able to self assess this PD provided they consider the guidelines on self assessment listed on the FCRC website. Members must seek clarification from FCRC if they are unclear on whether the PD they seek recognition forfalls under the self assessment guidelines.

Activities that will be considered for approval by FCRC could include:

Attending a session of Professional Development by another provider that is of direct relevance to the knowledge or skills required for financial counselling.
Contributing to an FCRC or working group submission on law, policy or financial counselling practice;
Relevant undergraduate or postgraduate study;
Design and delivery of Professional Development programs for FCRC;
Certificate IV in training and assessment;
Writing an article for the FCRC publication The Devil’s Advocate that deals with the knowledge or skills required for FC practice;

3.3 Measuring Professional Development

FCRC will adopt a points system for measuring and classifying Professional Development activities.

3.4Requirement for Professional Development

3.4.1All full members and associate members of FCRC must complete a minimum of 10 points of Professional Development each calendar year.

3.4.2All members will be able to obtain up to a maximum of five points from Other Professional Development activitiesas defined in 3.2.2

3.4.3Members will be able to self assess Other Professional Development Activity based on FCRC guidelines. Members will self assess eligibility and determine the number of points that may be claimed for that activity.

3.4.4Those PD activities that fall outside the self assessment guidelines must be sent to FCRC for consideration prior to the activity commencing.

3.4.5FCRC will provide at least three PD sessions at its annual conference

3.4.6Points will also be awarded attendance at certain sessions during the annual FCA conference

3.4.7 A maximum of three points may be obtained from a single training session.

3.4.8Pro rata of PD points does not apply.

3.4.9All members who are in their first year of practice as a financial counsellor must participate in the graduate program offered by FCRC.The graduate program will be initially offered in 2014 and annually thereafter.

3.4.10FCRC may impose additional Professional Development requirements in respect of any members or classes of members.

3.4.11Financial Counsellors studying the Diploma of Community Services – financial counselling at Victoria Universityfull time, may apply for partial relief from professional development requirements. The extent of the relief will be determined based on an application to FCRC and will take into consideration, course attendance and participation

3.4.12Members will keep a log of all professional development undertaken and shall submit this log to FCRC when applying for membership renewal

4.Compliance of Professional Supervision and Professional Development

4.1FCRC full membership and associate membership is dependent upon ongoing compliance with Supervision and Professional Development policies. Full members and associate members who do not comply with these policies may have their membership renewal application rejected or may be subject to suspension or ejection from membership as provided in the FCRC constitution.

4.2Members must maintain a log of professional supervision and professional development activities as per 2.7.2 and 3.4.12

4.3FCRC will conduct a random audit of up to ten per cent of full members and associate members annually in order to confirm their compliance.

4.4When applying for annual renewal of membership, full members and associate members must provide a signed declaration and summary of attendance that they have met the requirements of the Supervision and Professional Development policies.

4.5 A full member or associate member who is unable to meet the requirements of these policies may seek special consideration of their circumstances by providing an explanation for non-compliance and a proposed schedule of activities to remedy the non-compliance within a reasonable time.

4.6The Board will establish a subcommittee that includes two Board members and two full members of FCRC who are not otherwise members of the FCRC governance structure whose principle role shall be:

To consider applications for special consideration and
Negotiate a satisfactory resolution with the member applying for special consideration.

4.7 A member who fails to comply with the terms of a resolution reached under 4.5 may have their membership renewal application revoked or may be subject to suspension or ejection from membership as provided in the FCRC constitution.

4.8FCRC reserves the right to notify the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) and their employer of a member’s removal or suspension from FCRC membership if a member fails to comply with all reasonable membership requirements as outlined above.

4.9Nothing in this policy shall derogate from a member’s appeal rights as set out in the FCRC constitution.

[1] Morrison, T 1994 Staff Supervision in Social Care, Longman UK

[2]This definition is adapted from that used by The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia