The Research Institute of Child Psychology and Patho psychology (VÚDPaP), as a scientific, research, and methodological unit under the Ministry of Education, Research, Development, and Youth of the Slovak Republic, has long supported the development of supervision within the counselling and prevention system. Supervision is an important tool for supporting professionals in the helping professions and contributes to improving the quality of services provided to children, students, and their families.
In cooperation with the educational organization Coachingplus, VÚDPaP is implementing a long-term training program titled “Supervision in the Helping Professions,” comprising 250 hours. The training is intended for professionals from counselling and prevention facilities and educational institutions. The training, which began in 2024, is nearing its conclusion in May 2026.
Over the course of nearly two years, participants underwent an intensive professional and self-development process. The program included theoretical training, practical training in supervision skills, group processes, supervision of one’s own supervisory practice, and reflection on professional experiences. An important component was also the creation of a safe and supportive space in which participants could develop the ability to reflect on their own work, strengthen their professional identity, and develop the competencies necessary for providing high-quality supervision.
Upon completion of their training, 27 new supervisors will join the counselling system; they will work in counselling and prevention centres as well as in educational institutions. They will thus strengthen the existing network of supervisors within the school counselling system in Slovakia.
The implementation and expansion of supervision in practice has several significant benefits. Supervision provides professional staff with an opportunity to reflect on challenging situations encountered in practice, supports burnout prevention, enhances the quality of professional decisions, and contributes to the development of professional competencies. At the same time, it helps foster a culture of collaboration, openness, and continuous professional growth within organizations.
The long-term goal of VÚDPaP is to systematically develop supervision as a standard component of professional work within the school counselling and prevention system. In the context of the performance standard for professional supervision, which has been in effect since 2023, expanding the network of qualified supervisors represents an important step toward ensuring high-quality and accessible supervision throughout Slovakia.
Supervision training, which is currently provided by VÚDPaP in a capacity of 250 hours, forms, together with the basic basis for the participant's entry into training (min. 200 hours of training), the basic time allowance that participants can complete as a part of their professional public work.
Strengthening supervision also has a broader impact—it supports the mental health of professionals working with children, which in turn positively impacts the quality of support provided to children, families, and schools.
VÚDPaP has been a member of EASC since 2015, because as a public institution it aims to work in accordance with European standards. Currently, a discussion is underway in Slovakia between various associations and sectoral institutions, supervision providers and training institutions, about setting up the levels of the supervision training, so that it is feasible across all areas.
Bratislava, 4.5. 2026 |