Publications from ODSW Social Work Supervsion | Page 20

Day 1 Keynote 2: Research and Knowledge Building on Social Work Supervision

Empirical research and the development of supervision specific models have continued to
be the primary means by which formal supervision knowledge has been produced.
O’Donoghue and Tsui (2015) identified that over forty years (1970-2010), supervision
research has increased in the number of research articles, and spread across the globe. In
addition it has diversified with regard to the research designs (i.e. from cross-sectional
surveys, to qualitative and more recently mixed-methods studies) as well as showed an
increasing rigour in the analysis with regard to validity, reliability and credibility. The
knowledge base this research provides for supervision is that it describes an evolving
theory of supervision. It demonstrates the importance of supervision within the childwelfare field and in relation to worker outcomes, as well as, makes the argument that
supervision contributes to practice and client outcomes (O’Donoghue and Tsui, 2015). In
other words it provides evidence to inform supervisory practice and potentially the basis
for an evidence-informed approach.
O’Donoghue and Tsui (2012) explored 18 supervisors’ views concerning what, informed
their supervisory practice. They found that the supervisors’ practice was contextually
based, and informed through an integrative reflection upon the person, situation, and the
interactional process occurring within both the practice discussed and the supervisory
interaction. The supervisors also drew from a set of personal, professional, and technical
rules derived from their: (a) experiences within supervision; (b) supervisory practice wisdom
and approaches; (c) direct practice approaches, style, and assessment checklists; and (d)
emotional intelligence. These rules were applied reflexively in response to the practice
setting, content and process of supervision, and the person of the supervisee.
O’Donoghue and Tsui (2012) noted that they were surprised that none of the supervisors in
this study specifically referred to being informed by research or evidence-based practice or
practice-based evidence. One explanation for this is that up until the last decade that
social work supervision research has not been easily accessible and that supervisors in this
sample have learned to supervise from their experience and practice backgrounds rather
than through any formal education (O’Donoghue, 2010; O’Donoghue and Tsui, 2015).

Figure 1: The Knowledge-base for Social Work Supervision
One of the implications from O’Donoghue and Tsui (2012) is that supervisors use practice
wisdom and develop their practice wisdom by ensuring that they draw upon the learning
they have had from their previous supervisory experiences in their ongoing supervisory
practice. One way supervisors may enhance their practice wisdom is to keep a reflective
journal of their supervision experiences that is focused on their learning and development
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