Analysis of Some Areas of Supervision Practice in Social Work in Slovakia

In the understanding of social work as a science, practical activity, and field of study, increasingly greater emphasis is placed on the professional competence of social workers. The demands placed on social workers have gradually required, as part of improving professional practice, the use of supervision in their professional work. Supervision, as a part of professional education, is therefore applied not only in practice, but also in teaching at pre-graduate university level and as part of social workers' lifelong learning. We could also say that supervision is one of the ways to cope with the load and high demands placed on social workers, who enter professional practice working with differentiated target groups, with individuals and families, with group work, and with work in local communities and communities at the levels of state administration, local government, and non-state actors. The authors aimed to present partial results of a research project focused on monitoring the current state of supervision provision in Slovakia in order to provide at least an indicative overview of how supervision is presented in Slovakia ten years after the first supervisors were trained to supervise work in the field of social work.

From this it follows that the goal of the quantitative research was to capture feedback from supervisors who work in social work in Slovakia.

For empirical data collection, we used a questionnaire of our own provenance. Data collection within a representative study was ensured by the electronic tool ProSurvey.

For statistical testing we used the goodness-of-fit test χ2. If the level of significance – p-value (Sig.) of the tests used was less than 0,05, we accept the alternative hypothesis based on our data. The z-score (z criterion) points to the size of the deviation between observed and expected frequencies as well as its direction. We considered a significant difference to be one where the value of criterion z was greater than 1,96 or less than -1,96.

A total of 141 supervisors working in social work and having the relevant education and practice type eligible for this activity participated in the research. Of the basic sample identified by us, 40,86 % of the sample participated. We consider this proportion to be representative – offering an effective probe into the phenomena we analyzed and providing sufficient feedback.

Results and interpretations

As we suggested above, supervisory trainings in social work have been implemented in Slovakia for more than 10 years. The first trained supervisors entered an unfamiliar field and, in essence, were pioneers of a new method whose advantages are increasingly recognized by more and more professionals. Our research also reflected these facts.

In the first point of the investigation, we focused on the number of years during which supervisors in social work in Slovakia are authorized to perform supervision. This information also indicates interest in this issue, the significance of legislative changes for this area, progress in the professionalization of supervisor education, and many other factors.

As much as 50,35 % (71) of respondents reported the 0 to 2 years interval. 36,88 % (52) reported the 3 to 5 years interval, and only 12,76 % (18) respondents reported the interval of 6 and more years.

Scope of authorization to perform supervision in social work in Slovakia – sampling frame

n = 141; p < 0,01; χ2 = 83,28 Zdroj: vlastný výskum, 2013.

As we can see from the table, there are pronounced statistical differences in the scope of authorization to perform supervision. Interest in performing supervision has increased significantly in the last five years. We assume this is a consequence of incorporating this issue into the Social Services Act and the change and addition to Act No. 455/1991 Zb. on independent trade (trade license act), as amended by later regulations, namely Act No. 448/2008 Z. z.

Among other factors contributing to this situation, we can also include the professionalization of supervisor education, including the setting of qualification and performance requirements and standards. The opening of a discussion on this issue also played a significant role, which led to the publication of a series of monographs, textbooks, and studies that formed a sufficient platform for the implementation of supervision in tertiary education. We believe this process will continue, and supervision will become an inseparable part of social work.

Authorization to perform supervision in practice does not yet mean that supervisors actually implement it. It was estimated that supervision is provided by only about 15 % to 25 % of trained professionals. We can joyfully state that this ratio is substantially higher.

According to our findings, paid performance in the field of supervision was carried out by 54,61 % (77), and conversely 45,39 % (64) did not perform it. On the basis of the chi-square criterion calculation, we cannot confirm that a statistically larger part of social-work supervisors in Slovakia performed paid supervision, but encouragingly, this proportion is at least balanced.

Performance of at least one paid supervision in social work – graphic structure, sampling frame

n = 141; p > 0,05; χ2 = 1,18 Zdroj: vlastný výskum, 2013.

In the next item of the questionnaire we examined when respondents had most recently performed supervision in social work. The results were again surprising. As many as 29,79 % (42) of respondents performed a paid supervision within less than 30 days.

Performance of the latest paid supervision in social work – sampling frame

n = 141; p < 0,01; χ2 = 92,46 Zdroj: vlastný výskum, 2013.

However, this fact alone does not speak to the regularity with which supervisors perform their activity. It may have been a seasonal matter, for example, related to the requirement that child social protection and social guardianship workers undergo mandatory supervision. For this reason, we asked respondents to make a qualified estimate of regularity regarding how they approach paid supervision performance. The results, however, did not differ much. 30,5 % (43) of respondents perform paid supervision at least once a month.

Regularity of paid supervision performance by social-work supervisors in Slovakia – sampling frame

n = 141; p < 0,01; χ2 = 58,3 Zdroj: vlastný výskum, 2013.

Supervisors in social work in Slovakia do not consider the periodicity of their own paid supervision sufficient. This was also confirmed in the analysis of responses to the question asking whether respondents wanted to perform supervision more frequently. As many as 65,25 % (92) of respondents selected the answer “definitely yes”.

Willingness of social-work supervisors in Slovakia to perform supervision more frequently – sampling frame

n = 141; p < 0,01; χ2 = 186,45 Zdroj: vlastný výskum, 2013.

In the next parts of our research, we focused on the financial side of the supervision process. We were interested in the lowest hourly paid supervision fee that our respondents would be willing to accept. The Association of Supervisors and Social Counselors (ASSP) sets the price of one supervision hour at 30 EUR for an individual and 33 EUR for a group. On average, the hourly paid supervision price set by ASSP is therefore 31,5 EUR. Our research pointed out that 70,92 % (90) of respondents would accept an hourly paid supervision fee in social work of 30 EUR and less. 37,59 % (53) respondents would even be willing to accept this range at 20 EUR or less.

In this case, the question is whether the price set by ASSP is too high, or whether social-work supervisors in Slovakia do not have overly high demands for valuing their professional competence. On the other hand, we must also emphasize that a statistically significant portion of the surveyed respondents had their demands in an interval close to the ASSP price level, i.e., 21-30 EUR.

Acceptance of the lowest financial range for hourly paid supervision in social work – sampling frame

n = 141; p < 0,01; χ2 = 12,37 Zdroj: vlastný výskum, 2013.

In the question about the financial requirements of supervisors in social work in Slovakia, we went to relatively extreme points. We were interested in how many respondents, and to what extent, would be willing to provide supervision without entitlement to payment.

To our surprise, as many as 55,32 % (78) of respondents were willing to perform supervision without any claim to financial compensation.

Willingness to perform supervision without entitlement to financial compensation – sampling frame

n = 141; p < 0,01; χ2 = 26,8 Zdroj: vlastný výskum, 2013.

One of the areas frequently discussed in supervision is how to secure supervision assignments. The current state is largely dependent on personal contacts, recommendations, and lobbying. On the one hand, these are understandable relationships that, in an ideal case, ensure some kind of natural selection of a qualified supervisor, where the satisfaction of the supervisee is reflected in their recommendation. On the other hand, in the case of a personal line leading to securing an assignment, we cannot talk about objectivity, or even transparency.

Most common way of securing a supervision assignment in social-work supervision in Slovakia – sampling frame

n = 141; p < 0,01; χ2 = 173,4 Zdroj: vlastný výskum, 2013.

The results of our research unequivocally pointed to the fact that, in Slovakia, social-work supervisors most often obtain supervision assignments through personal connections. Fifty-four point 61 % (77) of respondents reported this form. In second place in this context were: 1) selection from publicly accessible databases and 2) random offer from an institution or individual.

We were also interested in whether securing a supervision assignment is problematic for supervisors. In analyzing the responses for this item, we recorded fairly homogeneous data. A more pronounced statistical difference between observed and expected frequency was measured in the response that placed the problematic nature of securing a supervision assignment in the definitely non-problematic range. For a substantial part of respondents, answering this question with a defined answer was also difficult.

Problematicity of securing a supervision assignment among social-work supervisors in Slovakia – sampling frame

n = 141; p < 0,01; χ2 = 16,1 Zdroj: vlastný výskum, 2013.

A very important part of high-quality supervision performance is supervisors’ own supervision. It is undeniable that a supervisor must consult, share, and reflect on their own procedures with as high a degree of objectivity as possible. For this reason, we were interested in whether supervisors in social work in Slovakia participate in supersupervision.

58,16 % (82) of respondents reported that they attend supersupervision, while 41,84 % (59) reported the exact opposite.

Participation in supersupervision among social-work supervisors in Slovakia – sampling frame

n = 141; p > 0,05; χ2 = 3,74 Zdroj: vlastný výskum, 2013.

The presented research captures the first feedback from supervisors working in social work in Slovakia. Of course, we recognize the fragmentary nature of our knowledge, and therefore in no way state that we have exhausted, or even could have exhausted, all the areas related to this professional activity. We believe that the research presented will contribute to a coherent picture of supervisors in social work in Slovakia, stimulate a fruitful and, above all, constructive discussion, and in no way remain unique. Supervision has become an indispensable professional activity of helping professions that work in an extremely sensitive social space, and as such deserves proper attention and care.

Authors: prof. PaedDr. Milan Schavel, PhD. PhDr. Bohuslav Kuzyšin, PhD. PhDr. Mária Gojdičová RNDr. Monika Bérešová

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