Change of Principal Supervisor (Internship)

The Decision 

Are you thinking about changing principal supervisors? There are a number of reasons that you might decide to undertake a change of principal supervisor during your internship and for many, this decision can be a daunting one, but it doesn't need to be. Today we want to talk about this topic in a bit more detail and tackle some of the concerns we hear a lot in our support team. 

Some of the more straight forward reasons you might consider changing principal supervisors include; 

• No longer having access to onsite supervision 
• A change to yours or your supervisor's available days and times 
• A change in role that no longer matches your principal supervisor's experience

These reasons tend to be an easier adjustment because they are often outside of your control. Other reasons that we often find supervisees struggle with or delay their decision to change their principal supervisor include; 

• I just don't think my supervisor is a personality fit for me
• I need more structure in my sessions
• I am worried my principal supervisor doesn't have enough knowledge of my internship requirements
• I just don't think we are on the same page 
• I need a fresh start with a different approach 
• I like my principal supervisor but I'd prefer a membership with Provisional Psychologist Hub 
• I want to diversify my supervision 
• The supervisor I wanted wasn't available when I started but now they are 
• I am behind in my supervision and I am nervous about making a change before I fix it 

While we encourage you to work with your principal supervisor and achieve a consistent approach to attending and progressing, you also need to trust yourself and ensure you have a positive and productive relationship with your supervisors so that you are getting the best out of your internship. 

The Process 

At Provisional Psychologist Hub we receive regular requests to change principal supervisors from across the country, and it doesn't need to be a stressful or difficult process. We discuss your current circumstances and match your needs with our network of board approved supervisors. We collect criteria in over 40 categories of skills, knowledge and experience that we cross reference with your position description and what you tell us you are looking for. The supervisor then reviews your application to confirm that they feel you are a good fit for them. We invest in ensuring you get the right match for your needs, and we support that transition with supervision ratio checks, application consultation guidance and regular ongoing appointments that match with your availability once you are approved. 

The Paperwork

Once you have found a new principal supervisor and you have confirmed the new arrangement, it is time to wrap up with your outgoing principal. Following is our approach to going through this process. 

1. Advise your outgoing principal supervisor of your decision if you have not already done so.  

2. Schedule a final supervision session with your outgoing supervisor and allow sufficient time to complete your change of principal form (CHPS-76) 

2. Email your final logbooks to your outgoing supervisor, up to and including the final date of supervision. 

3. Review the CHPS-76 form in preparation for your supervision session and complete any of the information you are able to do such as your name, registration number, supervision hours, practice hours, reporting dates, etc. Email this partially completed form to your supervisor so that you can finalise it in session. The final reporting date should be the date of your last supervision session with your outgoing principal supervisor. 

5. Once you and your outgoing principal have completed the form and you are both happy with the details, sign the form and submit to your new principal supervisor so that they can review the details before they sign and you submit to AHPRA.

This CHPS-76 form acts as an interim progress report for your internship and serves a number of purposes for the 4 different parties involved. 

• AHPRA and the Psychology Board of Australia: First and foremost it informs AHPRA and the PsyBA of your progress to date as you transition. Your reporting timeline for your next progress report will be reset when they approve this form. Accuracy is key when you submit this form because you are in essence tying up any loops with your principal supervisor so that you can move forward. 
• Outgoing Principal Supervisor: This form provides clear records management for your outgoing principal supervisor to ensure that they have what is needed to close your file or re-open it should you return at a later date or should your record be audited for any reason in the future. 
• Incoming Principal Supervisor: This form informs your incoming principal supervisor so that they can pickup where your last supervisor left off. For this detail is key, the more information your incoming supervisor has, the smoother your transition will be. 
• You, the supervisee: This form informs you the way any report would on your progress, it allows you to maintain a clear record of the change undertaken and allows you to complete your next logbook and track the ongoing progress of your internship. 

Getting Started

If you think it is time to undertake a change of principal then don't delay your decision, contact our support team and ask us about your options. 

CLICK HERE to have a free 15 minute confidential consultation with our support team. 

CLICK HERE to request a new principal supervisor. 

 CLICK HERE to get familiar with the All in One Memberships available at Provisional Psychologist Hub. 

CLICK HERE to view our options for Pay as you Go Supervision.