Reviewing placement handovers in counselling, psychotherapy and occupational therapy

Updated Nov 06, 2026

A placement review in counselling, psychotherapy or occupational therapy should begin with the requirements of the particular programme. These subjects appear together in a statistical grouping, but a placement plan needs the actual course's learning, supervision and approval arrangements.

For wider context, the placements, fieldwork and trips evidence brief brings together the published NSS open-text measures. Use it alongside the programme-level review below.

Check the information before allocation

Identify the setting, dates, expected activity, supervision contact and route for questions. Review travel, costs and access arrangements with the responsible placement team. Explain which details are confirmed and when students will hear about any remaining decisions.

Keep the programme's approved requirements visible and current. Refer questions about professional requirements to the appropriate academic staff.

Make the handover explicit

Confirm who introduces the student to the setting, how learning expectations are discussed and how university and placement contacts communicate. Check the route for a concern that involves both organisations.

Use the established process for individual support arrangements and confidential concerns. General student-feedback records should not contain identifiable client or service-user information.

Review supervision and assessment information

Explain the purpose of scheduled contact and how students prepare for it. Check that placement documentation and university assessment instructions are consistent. Identify who can resolve a conflicting instruction.

Ask students about reaching a supervisor and understanding feedback as separate questions. Keep the response tied to the issue they describe.

Check the next transition

After induction or a placement change, ask students whether they knew their contacts and could find the current instructions. Discuss unresolved handovers with the partner and programme team, then record a named action.

The belonging and support pathway supports review of access to help. The assessment pathway provides questions for clarifying the task and standard.