Informed Supervision

Informed Supervision | Grand Junction | Fruita | Colorado

Informed Supervision

Informed supervision training is offered to parents/guardians caring for youth who have committed sexual offenses. In a 4 hour class, parents/guardians (as well as multidisciplinary team members or school staff) will be trained about guidelines for informed supervision aimed at keeping everyone safe in the home and in the community.

Please note the following, per Colorado SOMB Standards & Guidelines for the Evaluation, Assessment, Treatment, and Supervision of Juveniles who have Committed Sexual Offences (p. 112-113), and consult your Multidisciplinary Team for recommendations regarding this training:
Informed supervision is the individualized, on-going daily supervision of a juvenile by a qualifying adult with specialized training and a demonstrated ability to apply knowledge from the training to promote victim, community, and juvenile safety by intervening with the juvenile to manage risk factors69. The MDT shall make the decision regarding the level of supervision which may include complete visual and auditory supervision of the juvenile at all times. Informed supervisors may include adult parent or caregiver parents (if not directly involved in the treatment process), advocates, mentors, kin, spiritual leaders, teachers, work managers, coaches and other natural supports as identified by MDT70.
Discussion Point: The procedure for qualifying an adult as an Informed Supervisor is a multi-step process that is determined and approved by the MDT. The process may include specialized training classes, family therapy sessions with an approved treatment provider, and/or other modalities determined by the MDT71. In some cases attendance at a specialized training class in and of itself may not be sufficient for qualifying someone as an Informed Supervisor. In all cases the MDT must make the final determination regarding someone’s qualifications as an Informed Supervisor.

Complete Informed Supervision training and implement as recommended by the MDT. Training should include, but is not limited to:

1. History of the SOMB
2. Why Informed Supervision is important
3. Victim Confidentiality
4. Sexual Offending Behaviors
5. Seriousness of juvenile sexual offending
6. Current laws that are relevant to juvenile sexual offending
7. Dynamic patterns associated with abusive behavior
8. Community Supervision and Treatment
9. Safety Plans
10. High Risk Patterns
11. What is an MDT and the Importance of it

Discussion Point: Trainers of Informed Supervision may be from a variety of disciplines including, but not limited to; child welfare, DYC, or SOMB listed treatment providers. The curriculum used is not determined or regulated by the SOMB. It is recommended that individuals providing Informed Supervision training receive training in the relevant topics and stay up to date with changes in the field. Trainers of Informed Supervision should understand and convey the message that being qualified as an Informed Supervisor involves specialized training as well as the ability to demonstrate the application of knowledge gained from specialized training, and in all cases the MDT must make the final determination regarding someone’s qualifications as an Informed Supervisor.