JIOA: Proposing a Model for Ombuds Supervision

The latest article in the peer-reviewed Journal of the International Ombudsman Association addresses a relatively unexplored topic: how Ombuds should be supervised. The paper was authored by Fred Wright, who piloted the first Organisational Ombudsman program in a government department in Australia, and David Miller, the former Ombuds for the World Health Organization. The full article, "An Initial Enquiry Towards a Model of Supervision and Support for Organisational Ombudsmen," is now available online.

Here's the abstract:

This paper explores the proposition that a formal model of supervision and support for Organisational Ombudsmen (OOs) should be implemented. It examines data from a small research project that asked experienced Ombudsman (and those recently retired) about how Ombudsman practitioners met their needs for support and guidance in the early days of the profession. It reviews supervision models in established professions, such as psychology and social work, to identify the key characteristics of a model for Organisational Ombudsmen, and proposes that a mandated supervision requirement is an important and defining characteristic of mature professions, providing not only psychological support but guidance towards ethical practice. It is argued that supervision benefits not only OO practitioners and the organisations in which they work but that it also contributes to the standing of the profession by promoting consistency and supporting reflective practice.

Wright and Miller will be speaking on this topic at the 2020 IOA conference. (JIOA.)

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