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Learning outcomes

1. Identify the importance of supervision.
2. Describe components of healthy supervision.
3. Create an action plan for supervision.

Foundational ethical principles and standards

One important component of your social career is supervision. You’ve likely had a supervisor before, as an employee or volunteer.  Social work supervision is somewhat different, as the main focus is to foster your growth. Some refer to it as educational supervision.  It includes discussion of theories, skills and strategies within the profession and encourages critical thinking about how you’re engaging in social work practice, not just what you’re doing. Supervision should also include thoughtful discussion of social work ethics and their application.

The NASW Code of Ethics (2017) speaks directly to the importance of supervision. A social worker has the responsibility to seek consultation and supervision in the best interest of clients, as stated in Standard 2.05.  This can include case consultation to explore challenges in working with an individual client, supervision on an emerging technique, or guidance on the development of a self-care plan. As stated before, the primary focus is to enhance the social worker’s skills and abilities to benefit services to clients.

In some states, including Minnesota, supervision is considered to be of such importance that it is required of newly licensed professionals or those moving to a new category. Check with your licensing board for supervision expectations and requirements.

Components of effective and positive supervision

In the research on social work supervision, common themes emerged related to an effective and positive relationship between the social worker and supervisor:

• Boundaries are clear and openly communicated. During the first supervisory meetings, the social work and supervisor discuss the purpose of supervision, how often they will meet, common methods of communication (including email, text, and others). Boundaries reflect cultural aspects and background of the social worker and supervisor, agency structure, and the type of social work practice.  Boundaries are maintained through open and regular communication, including the discussion of concerns when they arise.
• Roles and responsibilities are established. The social worker is provided with clear guidance on what his/her/their role and responsibility is in regards to the agency and working with clients, as well as when and how evaluation will occur.  The supervisor’s responsibilities are related to those services.
• Constructive feedback is provided. As stated above, supervision should focus on growth. Constructive feedback which fosters ethical behavior and critical thinking provides specific, timely, and relevant information to the social worker. With this feedback, necessary changes can occur.

Preparing for supervision

The social worker and supervisor share the responsibility for supervision. During your internship, you can take proactive steps that foster a successful relationship now with your supervisor and prepare you for your future career. Those steps include:

1. Discuss the structure of supervision with your supervisor, then plan a supervision agenda each week that identifies important events, activities, or concerns to discuss. Provide the agenda to your supervisor at least a few days prior to your meeting.
2. Understand that your supervisor has many responsibilities, of which supervision is one. Maintain realistic expectations regarding his/her/their time, availability, and responsiveness.
3. Be prepared for supervision. Be on-time with any resources you may need during supervision.
4. Lean into your own learning. Be responsible for finding new resources that help you resolve ethical dilemmas, work with clients, and learn new techniques. Provide these to your supervisor during meetings.
5. Listen carefully when provided with constructive feedback. Sometimes, the first reaction to feedback is defensiveness. Reflect on your attitude and feelings first and then determine what you can change. Remember – supervision is about growth!

Supervision is not counseling. The focus should be on your work with clients and growth as a social worker. If you find yourself needing to process high levels of anxiety or personal issues that are affecting your ability to work with clients, it’s time to find a counselor. Many universities offer counseling services (often free or low-cost), or check with the Social Work faculty for possible referrals.

Activity

As you begin working with your supervisor, set up a regular (weekly) supervision meeting and discuss a general agenda structure. This may include: tasks/activities accomplished during the week, experiences that you found challenging,

Resources

Ketner, M., Cooper-Bolinskey, D. and VanCleave, D. (2017). The meaning and value of supervision in social work field education. Field Educator, 7.2. Available at https://fieldeducator.simmons.edu/article/the-meaning-and-value-of-supervision-in-social-work-field-education/.

National Association of Social Workers. (2013). Best Practice Standards for Social Work Supervision. Washington, D.C.: National Association of Social Workers.