Reflective Safeguarding Supervision Summary – 2025-2026
- 22 Responses received – Up to 12th May 2026
How useful have you found the supervision sessions?
95% (21/22) – 5 stars (Very satisfied – exceeded expectation)
5% (1/22) – 3 stars (Satisfied)
What supervision have you accessed this year?
27% (6/22) – Group supervision with other schools
18% (4/22) – Bespoke supervision for your school
55% (12/22) – 1:1 supervision
(0/22) – Adhoc supervision
Will you be requesting to attend the sessions again next year?
86% (19/22) Yes
5% (1/22) No
9% (2/22) Maybe
What difference has attending the sessions made to you in your role?
- It has provided me with the opportunity to stop and reflect on practice and the impact of my role on my work life balance. It also makes me feel supported.
- It has kept me sane/ it has kept me in my job/ it has kept me in my marriage- no joke it has been a lifeline!
- Being able to hear another professional’s opinion on personal cases has been very helpful. Reassurance has helped in gaining confidence
- I find the sessions very grounding. Hayley has a wealth of experience and knowledge and expresses this in a friendly and empathetic way. Whatever topics we wish to cover, it is very reassuring that it will be spoken about in a helpful and guiding way. Hayley has encouraged myself, and the team I work in to feel valued within our role and appreciated for what we bring to it. It’s been a very positive experience, and one I have benefitted from.
- I am new to the role and although I have only had 2 sessions, I can see how valuable the sessions are going to be for me. I already feel that having someone to talk to about some of the challenges I face has helped me.
- Allow me to stand back and evaluate my impact on my pupils and evaluate my approach on how I do my job.
- Hayley is very easy to talk to, and we have a lot in common in terms of experience. The sessions are positive and helpful, and I always go away feeling better, supported, and valued.
- Feeling supported, provided opportunities to talk through options and reassurance on decision making and support with how and when to escalate
- Shared expertise on challenging situations and a shoulder to cry on – and sometimes I really have cried – but feel it is a space to be able to do this without judgement.
- Help build confidence, share best practice, helped overcome challenging situations and helped managed the stress and impact of the role.
- Advice from more experienced DSLs and safeguarding professionals. has provided me with reassurance and support to perform my role.
- They give me an opportunity to reflect on practice and talk through any concerns. They also give me space and time to reflect on practice and how I can best manage time and priorities.
- Talking and listening to the others – being given advice – being made aware of different support to help families. Most importantly knowing that I am not alone and have a wider circle of DSLs and safeguarding colleagues to go to for advice if needed.
- I’ve had group and 1:1 and really value both as I get support in different ways.
- I have made some excellent connections with other DSLs and learned a lot from discussions. Many of my questions have been answered.
- I believe from feedback from the team, they have found it very useful to reflect on their practice and see that others are going through the same thing. They also value the resources and links you provide to support them in their roles or with particular cases
- It has allowed me to be more confident in this role, and it’s good to talk things through with someone so understanding. And even though we have spoken about safeguarding, it’s nice to talk about daily nursery issues too which also impact on me as a professional.
- Although I have only joined the last couple of sessions I can already see how listening to other school stories you feel you’re not the only person/school going through these things and if you can offer support that is always a positive.
- That I know it’s not just me going through certain things and that others can relate.
What do you think could improve the sessions?
- Nothing. Keep being you and doing you.
- That it continues next year would be nice.
- For us we would like more of them as our team is growing bigger with the additional campus and the addition of new roles.
- Pre-shared and populated agenda to help see the challenges others are facing and to refer to as a refresher later.
- This is the first time attending the group sessions. So, at present I feel that the sessions have been helpful and supportive.
- Maybe some themes to explore in session if nothing has come up since last session.
- I really find them so brilliant that I don’t know what else could be added.
- Sometimes the sessions overrun, so perhaps questions could be submitted in advance to keep the flow tight? If that is too complex, perhaps a quick check-in at the start asking what topics people would like to discuss so a quick agenda could be drawn up.
- I would like them to be more frequent – every 4 weeks instead of 6.
If you haven’t done so already, please take some time to review our Reflective Safeguarding Supervision page on the Cognus Website. Would you be interested in recording a short video testimonial to be added to this page?
32% (7/22) Yes
68% (15/22) No
Any other comments?
- You genuinely want to help, support and make a difference.
- I feel so lucky to have access to this service. I wish all teachers could have this.
- Our finances are tight and we may have to move to supervision within our Trust from 2026-2027.
- I feel having these supervision sessions have been so good for me as a person and have enabled me to be more confident within my DSL role.
- This is a fantastic service, and we are very grateful for it.
- Keep up the good work!