Publications from ODSW Social Work Supervsion | Seite 22

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

well-being and development as a practitioner. This involves the provision of practical help,
emotional support, and positive interpersonal interaction by the supervisor (Mor Barak et
al., 2009).
National and International Implications
The implications for national social work professional bodies in regard to knowledge
building concern the development of a social work supervision literature base, the
education and training of supervisors, the setting of standards and policies for supervision
within the profession, and furthering the development of research and evaluation within
social work supervision. In other words, the role for national social work professional
bodies is to advance the development of a professional social work supervision culture. To
further the development of social work supervision internationally, there is a need to bring
together the international knowledge and to develop international standards. Another
development could be an international network of social work supervisors and researchers
which shares knowledge across jurisdictions and engages in comparative international
research studies. Supervision knowledge could also be advanced by a supervision specific
stream in regional and global social work conferences and congresses.
Conclusion
This paper has examined knowledge building within social work supervision through
reviewing how knowledge has developed over time by way of practice wisdom, practice
theory and models, empirical research and specific supervision models and approaches.
The implications of this framework of knowledge building for supervisors have been
explored with regard to the ways in which they can develop a more informed approach to
supervision. Such an approach would be derived from practice wisdom, practice theory
and models, specific supervision models and approaches and the use of supervision
research evidence.
The implications for the profession at a national and international level have also been
discussed with suggestions made in regard to advancing a professional supervision culture
at national level, as well as, how to build an international infrastructure for knowledge for
the advancement of social work supervision. In conclusion, the key messages of this paper
are: a) for supervisors to develop their knowledge for supervisory practice and be more
mindful of how they use knowledge in supervisory practice; b) For the profession at
national level to develop and synthesise the supervisory knowledge-base to advance a
professional supervision culture; and c) to develop the infrastructure to support the
international advancement of social work supervision.
Citations
Austin, M. (1981). Supervisory management for the human services. Englewood Cliffs, NJ:
Prentice-Hall.
Brackett, J. (1903). Supervision and education in charity. New York: MacMillan.
Bruce, E., and Austin, M. (2000). Social work supervision: Assessing the past and mapping
the future. The Clinical Supervisor, 19(2), 85-108.
Bunker, D. R., and Wijnberg, M. H. (1988). Supervision and performance: managing
professional work in human service organizations. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

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