PROFESSIONAL SUPERVISION VALUE CARDS

• Social workers 
• Human service practitioners 
• Supervisors and team leaders 
• Student supervision and field education 
• Reflective practice groups 
• Organisations wanting values-based supervision tools

Using This Card Set

This card set supports reflective, values-based supervision for social workers and human service practitioners. It is informed by Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and aligned with Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) standards. The cards are designed to deepen human service workers’ critical reflection (of self, clients and systems), strengthen ethical decision-making, build awareness of thoughts, emotions, and experiences in practice, relate professional behaviours to theories/evidence/standards of “best practice”, and deepen reflexivity (thinking about how your own beliefs, values, and experiences affect your practice and decisions).

How to Use:

There are no right or wrong responses. The purpose is to slow down, deepen reflection, and support values-aligned practice.

Use the cards flexibly within professional supervision. You might draw a value card to: explore what is guiding your practice; reflect on a case, challenge, or point of stuckness; stay curious when feeling stuck and open up new perspectives; support reflection and action at the beginning or end of supervision.

ACT-Informed Approach

These cards draw on core ACT processes, including: clarifying values; noticing internal experiences without being driven by them; making space for discomfort; taking committed action aligned with professional values.

Critical Self-Reflection

Prompts encourage reflection on self, power, culture, ethics, and systems, including culturally responsive practice with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Three Stages of Reflection

Reflect – Notice what is present. Slow down and observe your thoughts, feelings, sensations, and immediate responses without moving toward solutions.

Deepen – Explore the meaning and function of the experience, including patterns, influences, and broader contextual factors (e.g. systems). Consider how these shape your responses, decisions, and interpretations.

Act –  Identify small, realistic, accountable, and values-aligned next steps in your professional practice.