SOCIAL WORKERS SHORT OF SUPERVISION

[Alison J Stevens]

Social workers are not always receiving the amount of supervision they need and most are not getting adequate support for professional development issues or the emotional problems
their work presents, according to a survey released today by the
British Association of Social Workers (BASW).

Among respondents to an online BASW poll, 69% said their supervision does not adequately address emotional issues arising from practice and 62% said it didn't effectively cover
personal development and training.

Nearly a quarter said they receive supervision only once every three months or less, with 10% of these respondents rarely or never receiving such support. The findings
contrast with what social workers say they want, with just 10% wanting
supervision on a three monthly basis and 71% stating that they want
monthly personal meetings with their manager to discuss issues of
concern.

The survey found that 58% of social workers receive supervision on a monthly basis and 4% more than once a month. Just under 10% say the supervision they receive is excellent but
26% rate it as poor, suggesting it is not just frequency but quality
that needs addressing by a number of employers.

Three quarters of the 151 survey respondents work for a local authority but among those working in sectors where their manager is not social work qualified, 77% say they
are offered professional supervision from a qualified social worker.

Value-Social Workers.