Mastering Role Clarity: Supervisory Strategies for Empowering Multidisciplinary Team Facilitators

Defining the Facilitator's Responsibilities

In a Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC), the success of an MDT hinges not only on the collective efforts of the team members from each discipline, but also on the facilitator’s effectiveness. As a supervisor, your role in establishing role clarity for the MDT facilitator is crucial, enabling them to lead effectively, streamline processes, and ensure the team can focus on its goals and work collaboratively.



One of your primary responsibilities as a supervisor is to clearly define the roles and responsibilities of your staff. This includes outlining the MDT facilitator’s specific tasks, such as coordinating meetings, facilitating discussions, tracking case progress, and ensuring communication among team members. By providing a detailed job description and clarifying expectations, you empower the facilitator to take ownership of their role and operate with confidence.

Supporting Professional Development

Role clarity also involves ensuring that the MDT facilitator has the necessary skills and training to perform their job effectively. As a supervisor, you should assess their strengths and identify areas for growth. Offering targeted professional development opportunities—such as training in conflict resolution, effective communication, or team-building strategies—can help them facilitate productive, collaborative discussions and manage team dynamics effectively. Like other disciplines listed in the National Children’s Alliance’s (NCA’s) National Standards for Accreditation for Children’s Advocacy Centers, the MDT facilitator role requires both foundational and ongoing training. Finding training that is most appropriate for your facilitator’s interests, desired skills, and experience level can be key in helping them succeed in the role.

Encouraging Open Communication

Creating an environment that promotes open communication is essential for role clarity. As a supervisor, you should actively encourage the MDT facilitator to share their experiences, challenges, and suggestions for improvement. Regular check-ins, consistent one-on-one supervision, and periodic feedback sessions can help you gauge your MDT facilitator’s comfort level with their role on the team and provide opportunities for you to clarify any misconceptions about their responsibilities.

Promoting Role Clarity

As a recognized leader, your actions as a supervisor set a precedent for the entire team. By establishing and promoting role clarity for your facilitator and creating ways to educate the team about the facilitator’s unique and vital contributions, you demonstrate the importance of clear roles and responsibilities. This modeling can help the facilitator deepen their own understanding of their role while also positively influencing the team’s dynamics.

Establishing Clear Lines of Authority

Part of the role of a supervisor in any capacity involves establishing clear lines of authority and decision-making processes. Ensure that the MDT facilitator understands their role in guiding team discussions, making recommendations, and addressing conflicts. By clarifying where their authority begins and ends, you will support their ability to make informed decisions without hesitation, ultimately enhancing team effectiveness.

Facilitating Team Integration

Lastly, as a supervisor, you play a vital role in integrating the MDT facilitator into the larger CAC framework. This includes helping them understand how their role fits within the organization’s mission and how they can collaborate with other departments. By facilitating this integration, you reinforce the importance of their role and help them align their efforts with the overall goals of the Center and the MDT.

Establishing role clarity for the MDT facilitator at a Children’s Advocacy Center is vital for the success of the entire team. By defining responsibilities, supporting professional development, encouraging open communication, modeling clarity, establishing lines of authority, and facilitating team integration, supervisors can create an environment where the facilitator can thrive. Role clarity empowers the MDT facilitator and enhances the Center’s capacity to provide effective advocacy and support for children and families in need.