SOCIAL WORK

Supervision in Social Work

Abstract

In this paper, we will be discussing the role of supervisors in directing the activities of social workers in various fields. For this purpose, we will be analyzing the current trends of social working and its supervision. It will be done with the help of interviews that would be conducted with social workers and their managers to understand the level of social working presently. Also, the research is based on qualitative data and interviews are analyzed at the end of the research to understand the current trend of social workers that whether they are satisfied with their supervisors or it needs to be improved.

Table of Contents

Abstractii

Introduction1

Literature Review2

The death of Peter Connelly (2007)5

Social Workers and Supervision6

Social Intervention10

Supervisory Relationship in Direct Practice11

Supervisory Risk and Ethics13

Keywords14

Methods14

Research Design14

Research Question14

Role of the Researcher16

Sample16

Data Collection and Processing Procedures17

Data Analysis Procedures18

Quality and Verification18

Reliability/Dependability19

Validity19

Ethical Considerations19

Data Security: Participant Anonymity and Document Retention20

Data Analysis20

Social Work in Prisons21

Other Social Workers22

Conclusion23

References25

Appendix28

Consent Form28

Interview Questionnaire31

Supervision in Social Work

Introduction

Social workers are confronted daily with the public; therefore, they face various hazards of life both personally and professionally. Supervisors play a significant role to assist social workers in their tasks. They are required to play the role as an educator, as well as, coach. As education increases perspective and understanding of the tasks or responsibilities to execute, it means that the supervisor must provide explanation of why social phenomenon is important, and train the student not only on operational aspects of the profession, but also on the implementation of social work properly and appropriately (Collins 2008: 1173).

In addition to that, it is necessary to establish an empathic relationship between professional students and supervisors that encourage student reflection, the search for appropriate and creative solutions and the use of appropriate instrumental theories. Another aspect is the responsibility of supervisors, the professional practices that put the element of identification and observe the actions that are considered typical for the intervention of social workers (Noble et al. 2009: 356). Further, supervisors play an integral role as evaluators of potential students about their implementation of theoretical knowledge, their ability to interpret reality, address the needs, and provide appropriate resources or direction to achieve the objective of practices. For these reasons, they are assumed to be not only supervisors in the field, but also observers, trainers, good communicators, to show empathy and professionalism.

Literature Review

Supervision is generally defined as overseeing operations or performance of a person or groups Kadushin (1992) identifies three elements to effective human service supervision: Administrative, Education, and Support. Administrative supervision is primarily concerned with effective implementation of agency procedures and policies. This includes the responsibility of the supervisor to assist employees to work to their best abilities as well as insuring agency requirements are implemented. The Educational function of supervision is related to the development of knowledge, skill, and ability to serve clients. The historic process includes reflection, exploration, and discussion of client interaction. Lastly, the third element of supervision according to Kadushin (1992) includes ...