Supervision Needs for Social Workers Providing Home-Based Treatment for Children and Families

Social workers providing home-based therapy services for children and families face challenges that make it difficult to provide efficient and effective treatment. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the supervision needs of social workers who provide treatment using the home-based service delivery model. The leader-member exchange theory was used to guide the study. Data were collected from a focus group meeting with 10 master’s-level social workers in Miami-Dade County, Florida. Findings from coding and thematic analysis revealed that participants’ needs involved being educated on the value of the home-based model, receiving support and guidance related to their health and safety, obtaining better administrative support, having readily available assistance in handling crises, and having supervisors take a more strategic approach when assigning cases. Ongoing training opportunities, addressing concerns when voiced, and receiving regular quality supervision were recommended for helping social workers feel competent and effective in their service provision. Findings may be used to improve working conditions for social workers and improve client treatment experiences and outcomes. Improved treatment outcomes may lead to healthier individuals and family systems leading to positive social change. Organizations, administrators, and supervisors may use the findings to explore ways to best support social workers in their effort to provide treatment in the home environment