Clinical supervision is crucial for practitioners engaged in addiction practice. The primary purpose of supervision is to promote and protect the interests of tāngata whai ora by supporting practitioners to develop and maintain safe, effective and accountable practice.
Haramai, e mau tō ringa ki te kete aronui
“Come, take hold of the basket of knowledge.”
The November 2025 refreshed and updated edition of Aronui is now available. Scroll to the bottom of this page to find out more.
Practitioners who hold an Annual Practicing Certificate are required to engage in supervision as a practice competence and skill, while supervision is recommended for the wider addiction workforce. Supervisors must have the knowledge and skills to support practitioners, enhance skills, and ensure accountability in relation to Te Anga Pūkenga | Addiction Intervention Competency Framework.
Dapaanz advises that supervision be provided a minimum of every four weeks, and more frequently for new or inexperienced practitioners, or if the work is complex.
The dapaanz supervision guide, Aronui provides further information and guidance for practitioners, managers and supervisors.
Who can provide supervision?
It is important that supervision is provided by a more experienced, or at least an equally experienced practitioner, who has been trained in supervision. Registered practitioners must be under the supervision of a dapaanz Accredited Clinical Supervisor.
There are over 500 dapaanz supervisors throughout the country. Visit our Member Directory to search for supervisors in your area.
How do I become a supervisor?
If you are seeking to become accredited as a dapaanz supervisor, you will need to provide evidence that you have undertaken supervision training and have held full registration status for two years prior to applying.
If you are not dapaanz registered but have been registered with an allied registration body for at least two years, have evidence that you’ve undertaken supervision training, and have experience in addiction, you may also apply.
Supervision Courses Currently Available
- Counselling, Training and Supervision Ltd (Abacus)
- Kaitiakitanga Post Graduate Diploma in Bicultural Supervision (Te Wānanga o Aotearoa)
- Supervision skills for health and social professionals (Unitec Institute of Technology)
- Introduction to supervision level 7 (Wintec)
- Post graduate certificate in supervision level 8 (Wintec)
- NZ Coaching & Mentoring Centre courses
- Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Supervision (Ara Institute of Canterbury)
- Supervision Skills for helping Professionals (MindFix)
- Introduction to Supervision for Supervisors (Fiona Howard Psychology)
- Clinical Supervision Training (3 day course) (Te Matau-a-Māui Hawkes Bay) (Enrolments are via Ko Awatea)
- Any TEC (Tertiary Education Commission) or NZQA approved supervision course (please contact registrar@dapaanz.org.nz for further information).
Find out more about the application or renewal process for Accredited Clinical Supervisors.
Aronui | Supervision guide
Aronui (first developed in 2014) outlines accepted good supervision practice across a wide range of practice contexts. It is a guide for dapaanz registered addiction practitioners and those supervising and managing them.
Aronui (2025) is a refreshed and updated edition of the 2014 version, designed to support supervisors, tauira/supervisees and managers to navigate supervision practice and relationships.
Aronui (2025) includes updates to reflect current best practice in supervision. The refreshed guide includes guidance on trauma-informed practice and supervision, lived experience and supervision, and the use of technology in supervision. The structure has been revised to improve accessibility and usability.
Aronui templates 2025
Below are downloadable templates to support supervision agreements and processes.
All of the templates are available to download as editable PDFs and also as printable versions (excluding the Group supervision contract which is only a printable version).
A. Supervision contract | printable version
B. Clinical supervision agreement | printable version
D. Supervision session notes | printable version
E. Supervision attendance record | printable version
F. Routine supervision report | printable version
G. Supervisee worksheet | printable version
H. Reflective practice worksheet | printable version