Supervision in Social work is a response to the needs of clients and the mandate of community to relieve suffering and to restore people to greater usefulness. Social problems are always a challenge and decisions aimed at relieving stress and rehabilitation are among the most difficult on the spectrum of human experience. The role of supervisor is one of support, encouragement, the imparting of information, and of listening to the worker, especially the new and inexperienced staff. Supervisor point out knowledge gaps and deficiencies in skill and assist workers to control their biases. They give psychological support by allaying anxiety and by their interest and understanding; they are Professional models for new workers and a bridge to the agency for the experienced worker new to the particular job or agency.
Social work supervision is a process by which an organization provides support and guidance to social workers. It must enable and support workers to build effective professional relationships, develop good practice, and exercise both professional judgments and discretion in decision-making. It also viewed as a kind of staff developing activity.
For supervision to be effective it needs to combine a performance management approach with a dynamic, empowering and enabling supervisory relationship. Supervision should improve the quality of practice, support the development of integrated working and ensure continuing professional development.
Social work supervisors in human service organizations have mainly two roles. They are intended to provide comprehensive monitoring, in the form of personal supervision and professional supervision.
Personal supervision focuses on the emotional requirements of the social worker in the work setting. In personal supervision the relationship between supervisor and supervisee is always informal and the supervisor treats supervisee as a friend. So it will enable individuals to achieve critical personal changes which can help them to provide better results in their work setting.
Professional supervision focuses on equipping the social worker with the required professional values, knowledge, and skills necessary for problem solving and professional growth. In the process of professional supervision, the supervisee is treated as a developing helping professional and social work supervision is perceived as a means of professional growth.
OBJECTIVES OF SOCIAL WORK SUPERVISION
The objectives of supervision can be divided into three categories; those for Clients, those for supervisees and those for supervisors and management.
Client
1. Social work supervision provides efficient and effective services to clients and prohibits inappropriate staff responses.
Supervisees
1. It helps to provide effective care.
2. It provides a chance to get second opinion and raise concerns about supervisees’ intervention.
3. It enables supervisees to pursue professional development and enhance self-management
Supervisor
1. It helps the supervisor to maintain the standards and morale in service units.
2. To monitor work load levels.
3. Review and plan interventions
4 To maintain objectivity.
5 To provide critical analysis.
6. Keep senior staff informed about the performance of front line staff.
7. Ensure court orders in work setting.
8. To discharge statutory requirements and other obligations
9. To maintain good standard of professional performance.
