The need for formal training in social work supervision

The research is based on the need for formal training in social work supervision with the emphasis on the experiences and feelings associated with the role change from supervisee to supervisor. Practice has shown that the transition from supervisee to supervisor takes place with very little, if any, formal training. It is assumed that any experienced social worker could give supervision as if this is merely an extension of your field work activities – which include casework, group work and community work. Whilst doing supervision cognisance was taken of the fact that the task of the supervisor was to help the supervisee gain access to a more advantageous position from which to consider or view their work. A supervisor had a crucial role in professional development. The opinion is upheld that there has to be a working alliance to attain this development. This working alliance can be taken further when viewed by the fact that the supervisor also has to establish communication networks that enable the supervisor to work both at a managerial level while maintaining positive relationships with his or her supervisees – a process which is fraught with complications. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with fourteen social work supervisors and a focus group was conducted with five social work supervisors from the Department of Welfare and Private Welfare Organizations. These interviews were conducted to obtain their perspectives on the need for training in social work supervision and how training could help them in their supervision role which ultimately could result in a more efficient service that is rendered to the client. The data analysis was conducted at the same time as the data collection. The researcher had a clear plan for the data management. The researcher utilized reasoning strategies, identified themes, categories and subcategories. It was borne in mind that there was no one way of performing data analysis. The researcher was open and flexible. Final conclusions of the data analysis was grounded in the data obtained. The key issue in ensuring the trustworthiness was the verification of the results of the data analysis. The research study suggests that there is a genuine need for formal training in social work supervision. With training the supervisors can develop competencies, knowledge and professional attitudes, they can be helpful to neophytes and to each other. With training they can avoid some of the pitfalls in supervision and become more efficient and competen