Keep supervision notes de-identified, encrypted and separate from the record of hours you share for sign-off. Write enough to stand behind your supervision later, and nothing that would identify a client.
What the associations say about notes
| Association | Notes and the record of hours |
|---|---|
| ACA | Supervision notes are confidential, so ACA doesn’t accept them as evidence of hours. It accepts a signed logbook or supervision record, or a letter from your supervisor on letterhead, but not a statutory declaration, as its guidance on supervision evidence explains. |
| PACFA | The supervisor writes notes for every session, as a record of what was discussed and as evidence if competence, ethical or liability questions come up later, under the Clinical Supervision Standard. |
| AASW | Members keep a record of each session and the key topics discussed. The Record/Evidence of Supervision template asks for a short summary of each session beside its date and length, signed by you and your supervisor. |
Write notes that protect clients
Refer to clients by initials or a code, and leave out anything that could identify them, such as addresses, workplaces or unusual life events. Record the themes discussed, the supervisee’s reflections, any risk or ethical issues, and what was agreed. If you are an AASW member, keep the summary on your log just as general, because it leaves your hands.
Keep them for as long as they could be needed
PACFA treats notes as the record if a concern is raised later, so keep them past the end of the year. Agree how long you’ll keep them in your supervision agreement, then dispose of them securely.
Store them where only you can open them
Paper notes belong in a locked cabinet. Digital notes belong in a system that encrypts them and asks for strong sign-in, not in email, a shared drive or a phone notes app.
Sign in with a passkey
A passkey uses your phone or computer’s fingerprint, face or PIN, and can’t be phished the way a password can. Turn it on wherever you hold client or supervision information.
How Supriva keeps notes safe
A note you write about a session is yours alone. The other person in the session can’t see it, and it never appears in the record of hours or its export. Each note is encrypted before it’s stored, under a key that belongs to you. It opens only for you, and every time it does is logged. You can also lock your notes with your passkey, so they’re encrypted in your browser and open only with your passkey or your recovery key. Keep your recovery key safe: without it or your passkey, a locked note can’t be opened by anyone, us included. How we protect your information.
Sources
The associations’ own documents, checked 16 October 2026.