Mentoring Guidelines
Scope
Whether paid or unpaid if you are supporting a person or those important to them at end of life and representing yourself as a member of EoLDUK, you are required to have a Mentor. Engaging in mentoring means that each one of us is supported practically and emotionally when we are practising. It is important that we work to the highest standards; operating within our code of practice; keeping ourselves and the people we are supporting safe; and taking responsibility for our own continuous professional development by drawing on the experience of others in our community of practice.
As an emerging role and the lead body in the UK for End of Life Doulas, it is essential to establish and maintain the credibility, reputation and professional standards for all those we support. This means that we need to be vigilant in reviewing and reflecting on our practice. We also see it as key for a cohesive and collaborative community of practice.
Please note that peer support occurs outside of these guidelines. It is an invaluable, important, organic and informal way of seeking and sharing our collective experiences, knowledge and skills. It occurs informally through our interactions with others in EoLDUK.
Whether you have completed part or all of the training any person, who is a member of End of Life Doula UK (EoLDUK) providing support, agrees to adhere to the following guidelines.
There are a number of scenarios where mentoring arrangements should be in place:
- Where you have received a referral through EoLDUK
- Where you have been approached directly to provide Doula support and are providing such support as a member of EoLDUK
- Please note that if you are requiring a Mentor to fulfil the learning requirements of your Living Well Dying Well Training then you should refer to LWDW Training regarding mentoring arrangements
These guidelines should be read in conjunction with the Code of Conduct, the Safeguarding Policy and the Data Protection/GDPR/Confidentiality and Privacy Statement together with the section on the End of Life Doula Members’ Website on starting up you practice and recording.
Why Mentoring?
- Provides information, knowledge based on experience and learning
- Identifies where we need to improve if we have not identified that for ourselves
- Offers support with personal growth and development as a Doula
- Offers encouragement in challenging situations
- Celebrates success and acknowledges good practice
- Assists with establishing necessary boundaries that we may not be able to identify for ourselves
- Acts as a sounding board to share ideas, thoughts and reflections
- Affords connections to provide access to others in EoLDUK or in other organisations with relevant skills, knowledge and experience
Who should Mentor me?
Your Mentor will be a person recognised by EoLDUK as a suitable person. Details of people in the network who can undertake this role are available from operations@eol-doula.uk
The role of the Mentor has been set out.
Summary of responsibilities
- be accessible to the person you are mentoring and be available for agreed mentoring sessions
- provide support and feedback in a timely and constructive manner
- to check with the Mentee that they have taken personal responsibility for putting into place an agreement, a basic DBS check and have arranged insurance
- refer any concerns about safeguarding, unsafe, negligent or malpractice to a Director of EoLDUK
Summary of responsibilities Mentee
- be present and on time for agreed mentoring sessions
- make notes and record in a timely manner (normally immediately or as soon as is reasonably possible after an interaction)
- listen and be receptive to advice, guidance and feedback offered
- prepare and reflect in advance ready to have the discussion with your Mentor
- if there is a critical or safeguarding incident then to make immediate contact or to refer to your Mentor and if they are not available to a Director of EoLDUK
Each Mentor has a Mentor
That person:
- is available to oversees the mentor and mentee relationship if required
- Is available to the Mentor for advice and guidance
- is available to the Mentee if they have concerns about the mentoring relationship
How mentoring arrangements are structured and recorded
- The Operations and Mentoring Teams will allocate a Mentor to a Mentee and set up documents where case notes and reflective practice can be recorded by the Mentee for feedback from the Mentor
- Case Notes should be objective, clear, succinct, avoid jargon, distinguish between facts and opinions and be written up immediately. Please note that initials rather than names should be used and should not include data such as address, telephone number, date of birth, NHS etc following the interaction. They will be reviewed by the Mentor and feedback will be given. They should include:
- The date of the interaction
- A description of the interaction
- Description of the situation
- Description of relevant circumstances - physical, practical, emotional,
- Summary information on what was discussed, agreed and done
- Summary of what guidance and support was offered
- Record of the wishes, preferences and feelings of the individual
- What next steps were agreed
- Any concerns including risks and safeguarding (you should contact your Mentor immediately if you have any safeguarding concerns)
- The person(s) you are supporting should be made aware that the above notes are kept securely and that they are for the use of you as the Doula to keep a record and are reviewed by your Mentor.
- The document can be accessed by the Mentor, the Mentor’s Mentor, Directors of EoLDUK and the person being supported should be told who has access to their case notes
- Reflective Practice This is a confidential place where the Doula undertakes their reflective practice to be reviewed by the Mentor. It can include:
- Describing the situation and reflecting and noting on what you saw, felt, and thought
- What went well, what you could have been done differently
- What you have learned
- What development is needed guidance from my Mentor, guidance from others in the EOLDUK Network, reading, personal development courses etc.
- The Mentor and Mentee should agree the process by which they will arrange face to face/telephone session as required
Please note that we see the system of mentoring as a voluntary and reciprocal arrangement. Many of us may well have been mentored at no charge by a more experienced person when we were a Doula in Training so to do that once we are practising as a Doula is a way of giving back. As a Mentor we may well benefit from being involved with someone else’s experience increasing our knowledge and keeping up to date.
These Guidelines are kept under review as our mentoring practice grows and develops.
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