Supervision in social services

Introduction

In the submitted contribution, the author uses one of the techniques used in school and training supervision. We write the word "supervision" vertically below us, and within the group we look for associations connected with supervision, always starting with one of the letters that contain this word. The one who mentions the association can then specify in more detail what he meant by it.

Supervision

The first question to which we can seek a common answer is of an epistemological nature and could be: "What is supervision?" However, we will expand it by specifying the area of ​​our professional interest in the form: "What do we understand by supervision in social work and social services?" If we were to follow the path of etymology, we would look for the meaning in the combination of two Latin words: super and videre. In Latin, the adverb super expresses a position or a place located above, on top of, from above, above another object. The Latin verb video, videre indicates an activity connected with visual sensory perception: to see, to look, to look, to watch. Supervision would then generally refer to any overview from above, i.e. from a different perspective than the view of someone who looks at a certain fact only from the perspective of "the one below". In society and organizations that are strictly hierarchical and where "those at the top" are important, the term supervision often evokes and associates control and supervision. We would encounter such a meaning of supervision in history and some professions. However, in social work, one of the important ethical responsibilities is "the primacy of interest in the client" (that is, "the one below"). One of the most effective - if not the most effective - tools of social work is the social worker or social worker. And it is precisely supervision that is one of the most effective tools of support and help for social counselors, social workers and, through them, the clients themselves. Supervision helps them to look at their professional activity from a different perspective, to reflect, self-reflect and gain insight into their activity.

In social work, supervision is mostly understood as a consulting method used to ensure and increase the quality of professional activity, respectively the competence of social workers (Oláh, Schavel et al., 2009, p. 127). It creates prerequisites and conditions for professional development, education and professional growth of employees in helping professions, while at the same time it serves as a means of self-knowledge for the benefit of improving the quality of work with people (Schavel, Tomka, 1010, p. 14).

Supervision participants

Supervision can be a highly recommended tool for the professional growth of experts in helping professions, it can be a standard for the quality of social services, and even a regulation of legislation, but it will never be put into real practice without persons, organizations, institutions, or groups who are aware of its importance for themselves and the professional activity they perform. Individuals who participate in supervision are usually called supervisees. In social services, they can be social counselors, social workers and other workers. If there are several individuals participating in the supervision, we speak of a supervision group. The size of the group depends on the number of supervisees for which the supervisor is responsible. According to Schavel, there should generally be four or five supervisors, the exception may be supervision meetings based on the principle of Bánint groups (Schavel, Tomka, 2010, p. 29). The supervisor should be a highly professional social worker who acts with a high degree of empathy, respect, truthfulness, flexibility, interest, bias and openness (Oláh, Schavel et al., 2009, p. 127). Supervisors do not provide direct services to the client, but indirectly influence the services provided to the client directly by the supervisee (Schavel, 2010b, p. 10)

Supervisor's professionalism

The qualification prerequisites for a supervisor in Slovakia are regulated by Act No. 448/2008 Coll. According to him, supervision is carried out by a natural person who has a higher education obtained by studying in a bachelor's study program or a master's study program focused on social work, social pedagogy, special pedagogy, therapeutic pedagogy, psychology, or has a recognized document of such higher education issued by a foreign university and has completed professional accredited supervisor training in the field of social work or counseling. (cf. § 84, paragraph 8). Currently, the Association of Supervisors and Social Counselors and the Institute of Further Education of Social Workers at the University of Health and Social Work of St. Elizabeth in Bratislava (Schavel, 2010b, p. 93). The supervisor should be permanently educated, while the conditio sine qua non of his developing competence should be his own super-supervision.

Ethics in supervision

Supervision as a special method of social work and a specific activity of social workers requires special ethical attention. Its key values ​​include competence, the importance of human relationships and trust (Mátel, Roman, 2010). According to Schavel (2010, p. 339), the ethical obligation of the supervisor is to comply with the legitimate demands of the supervised, to evaluate objectively and fairly, to avoid abuse of power and to apply supervision conscientiously and responsibly. The task of the supervisor is to protect the interests of the client. The supervisor's duty is also to avoid double relations with the supervisees, especially sexual ones.

Supervisor Role

In the British and Australian ethical code of social work (2002) we find a mention that the role of the supervisor can be educational, supportive, developmental and focused on the activity of the social worker (In: Mátel, Roman, 2010). The particularity of supervision comes mainly from its specific goals and functions. More than sixty years ago, Robinson (1949) emphasized the educational goals of supervision in social work. A little later, its management (administrative) aspects began to be emphasized, which included efforts to control and coordinate social workers in the performance of their profession. Kadushin (1976) added a support function to these two, which includes emotional support and support in work difficulties (Shulman, In: Edwards et al., 2004, p. 2373).

Relational Frameworks of Supervision

In the process of supervision, its participants are in several relational frameworks, as shown in diagram no. 1. The supervisor is in a mutual and dynamic relationship with the supervisee, or to an individual member of the supervision group, then to the supervisor (if not identical to the supervisee), the profession and the professional community. In addition, in supervision, it is necessary to take into account the mutual relations between the members of the supervision group and, last but not least, the relations of supervised social workers with clients (Mátel, Roman, 2010).

The importance of human relationships is currently among the key values ​​of supervision in social work. The relationship-based supervision model is close to relationship-based social work theory. Supervision, like counseling and therapy, is a process co-created within a relationship (Hawkins, Shohet, 2004, p. 44). The importance of the "context of positive relationships" was also emphasized by Kadushin (1976, p. 21).

Legal support of supervision

The legislative regulation of supervision is currently governed by Act no. 305/2005 Coll. on the social legal protection of children and on the social guardian and on the amendment and supplementation of certain laws as amended. According to him, in order to increase the professionalism of the work in facilities for the implementation of social protection measures for children and social guardianship (children's home, children's home for unaccompanied minors, crisis center, resocialization center), a supervision program is developed and implemented. Part of the supervision program is also the method of securing this program (cf. § 47, paragraph 7).

Similarly, Act No. 448/2008 Coll. brought important legislative support for supervision in social service facilities in Slovakia. According to him, the social service provider is obliged to develop and implement a supervision program for the purpose of increasing the professional level and quality of the provided social service (Section 9 paragraph 10). This has become one of the quality standards of social service provision.

Institutions providing social services

Considering the institutions and organizations providing social services listed in Act no. 448/2008 Coll. supervision is a legal obligation. With regard to the types of social services, the law lists a dormitory, a shelter, a halfway house, a low-threshold day center, an emergency housing facility, a supported housing facility, a facility for the elderly, a nursing service facility, a rehabilitation center of a social service home, a specialized facility, a day care center, a nursing service, monitoring and signaling the need for assistance, crisis assistance provided through telecommunications technologies, relief services, security assistance guardianship rights and obligations, provision of social services in the integration center.

If supervision is not implemented in these facilities, it is not just a violation of the law. Social workers are not allowed to use one of the most important tools of professional growth, lifelong learning, and the risk of burnout increases. The final consequence may be damage to clients and a general reduction in the quality of the service provided.

Assertiveness and conclusion

Based on the legislation, every social worker should have the possibility of regular supervision, but this does not automatically mean that he actually has it. Despite considerable difficulties with its implementation, if the social worker recognizes its key importance for himself and service users, he should act assertively enough to actually achieve it (cf. Parrott, 2010, p. 115). The same applies to social service providers and employers' organizations. If they are sufficiently aware of the immense meaning and importance of supervision for social workers and clients, in addition to ten arguments why it cannot be done, they will also look for one how it can be done.

Author: PhDr. Ph.Dr. ThLic. Andrej Mátel, PhD. VŠZaSP St. Elizabeth in Bratislava

List of bibliographic references

[1] HAWKINS, P. – SHOHET, R. 2004. Supervision in the helping professions. Prague: Portal, 2004. 202 p. ISBN 80-7178-715-9. [2] KADUSHIN, A. 1976. Supervision in Social Work. New York: Columbia University Press. 486 p. ISBN 0-23103-657-4. [3] MÁTEL, Andrej – ROMAN, Tibor. 2010. Ethics in supervision - key values ​​and selected ethical aspects. In: Prohuman, professional internet magazine. [online 2010-30-09]. Available online: . ISSN 1338-1415. [4] OLÁH, M. – SCHAVEL, M. – ONDRUŠOVÁ, Z. – NAVRÁTIL, P. 2009. Social work – selected chapters from the history, theory and methods of social work. Bratislava : VŠZaSP St. Elizabeth, 2009. 228 p. ISBN 80-969449-6-7. [5] PARROTT, L. 2010. Values ​​and Ethics in Social Work Practice. 2nd Ed. Exeter : Learning Matters Ltd., 2010. 173 p. ISBN 978-1-84445-370-2. [6] SCHAVEL, M. 2010a. Ethics in supervision. In: MÁTEL, A. – SCHAVEL, M. – MÜHLPACHR, P. – ROMAN, T. 2010. Applied ethics in social work and other helping professions. Proceedings of the international scientific conference. Bratislava : VŠZaSP St. Elizabeth. 413 p. ISBN 978-80-89271-89-4, p. 338-343. [7] SCHAVEL, M. 2010b. Supervision in social work for social workers. Bratislava : VŠZaSP St. Elizabeth, 2010. 106 p. ISBN 978-80-89392-18-6. [8] SCHAVEL, M. – TOMKA, M. 2010. Basics of supervision and supervision in practical teaching in social work. Bratislava : VŠZaSP St. Elizabeth, 2010. 193 p. ISBN 978-80-89271-87-0. [9] SCHULMAN, L. 2004. Supervision and Consultation. In: EDWARDS, R.L. Encyclopedia of Social Work. 19th Ed. Washington, DC : NASW, 2004. ISBN 0-87101-256-1, p. 2373-2379. [10] Act no. 305/2005 Coll. on the social legal protection of children and on the social guardian and on the amendment and supplementation of certain laws as amended. [11] Act no. 448/2008 Coll. on social services and on amendments to Act no. 455/1991 Coll. on commercial business as amended by the following regulations.

The lecture was given at the scientific conference Social services in the region. Proceedings of the scientific conference, which took place on November 18, 2010 in Skalica and was published in the proceedings of this conference: MÁTEL, Andrej – KOVAĽOVÁ, Mária – ŠTEPANOVSKÁ, Martina (eds.) Published by the University of Health and Social Work St. Alžbety in Bratislava, ISBN 978-80-970567-0-4, EAN 9788097056704