Informed Supervision

The following information was taken from the Standards and Guidelines for The Evaluation, Assessment, Treatment and Supervision of Juveniles Who Have Committed Sexual Offenses, article 5.711.

"Informed supervisors are defined as primary care providers, parents (if not directly involved in the treatment process), advocates, mentors, kin, spiritual leaders, teachers, work managers, coaches and others as identified by the multidisciplinary team. It is the responsibility of the multidisciplinary team to educate, inform and evaluate potential informed supervisors regarding their role specific to sexual offense issues...

Safety plans shall be utilized to assist in defining an informed supervisor's role. The expectations of the multidisciplinary team regarding informed supervisors' responsibilities must be determined and agreed upon before implementation.

An informed supervisor is an adult, approved by the multidisciplinary team, who:

A. Is aware of the juvenile's history of sexual offending behaviors.
B. Does not allow contact with the victim(s) unless and until approved by the multidisciplinary team.
C. Directly observes and monitors contact between the juvenile, victim(s), siblings and other potential victims as defined by the multidisciplinary team.
D. Does not deny or minimize the juvenile's responsibility for, or seriousness of sexual offending.
E. Is aware of the laws relevant to juvenile sexual offending behavior.
F. Can define all types of abusive behaviors and can recognize abusive behaviors in daily functioning.
G. Is aware of the dynamic patterns (cycle) associated with abusive. behaviors and is able to recognize such patterns in daily functioning.
H. Understands the conditions of community supervision and treatment.
I. Can design, implement and monitor safety plans for daily activities.
J. Is able to hold the juvenile accountable for his/her behavior.
K. Has the skills to intervene in and interrupt high risk patterns.
L. Communicates with the multidisciplinary team regarding observations of the juvenile's daily functioning.

Discussion: The Board recognizes there is a learning process for informed supervisors. Noncompliance by an informed supervisor should not be used as the sole reason for terminating a juvenile from treatment, placement, or to raise the level of care. If non-compliance by an informed supervisor interferes with the juvenile's progress in sex offense specific treatment there will need to be a recommendation to revise the level of involvement of the informed supervisor.

Click on the following link to find out What you should know, as an informed supervisor, about juvenile sex offenders.

Click on this link for a copy of a Safety Plan form that you can use.