Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

What Does the Literature Tell Us About Supervision?

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Supervising Child Protection Practice: What Works?

Part of the book series: SpringerBriefs in Well-Being and Quality of Life Research ((BRIEFSWELLBEING))

Abstract

Here we look at definitions of supervision and the way in which it has been conceptualised across the helping professions, in social work and in child protection. A critique of the context within which contemporary supervision takes place follows and will enable readers to locate their workplace issues within contemporary paradigms. Four key themes emerging from the supervision literature are discussed: supervisor competencies; supervision responding to stress, anxiety and vicarious trauma; supervision and client outcomes; and supervision and staff retention. A case will be established that that there is an association between “effective supervision” and staff resilience and retention in child and family practice—but that there is very limited evidence, according to the research to date, as to what “effective supervision” is!

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 49.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 64.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Barth, R., Lloyd, C., Christ, S., Chapman, M., & Dickenson, N. (2008). Child welfare worker characteristics and job satisfaction: A national study. Social Work, 53(3), 199–209.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bogo, M., & McKnight, K. (2006). Clinical supervision in social work: A review of the research literature. The Clinical Supervisor, 24(1–2), 49–67. doi:10.1300/J001V24n01.04

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bowers, B., Esmond, B., & Canales, M. (1999). Approaches to case management supervision. Administration in Social Work, 23(1), 29–49.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carroll, M., & Tholstrup, M. (Eds.). (2001). Integrative approaches to supervision. Philadelphia: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clark, S., Gilman, E., Jacquet, S., Johnson, B., Mathias, C., Paris, B. A., et al. (2008). Line worker, supervisor and manager perceptions of supervisory practices and tasks in child welfare. Journal of Public Child Welfare, 2(1), 3–32. doi:10.1080/15548730802237304

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coffey, M., Dugdill, L., & Tattersall, A. (2004). Research note: Stress in social services: Mental wellbeing, constraints and job satisfaction. British Journal of Social Work, 34(5), 735–747.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Collins, S. (2008). Statutory social workers: Stress, job satisfaction, coping, social support and individual differences. British Journal of Social Work, 38(6), 1173–1193.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Davys, A., & Beddoe, L. (2010). Best practice in supervision: A guide for the helping professions. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dickenson, N., & Painter, J. (2009). Predictors of undesired turnover for child welfare workers. Child Welfare, 88(5), 187–208.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ellett, A., Ellis, J., Westbrook, T., & Dews, D. (2007). A qualitative study of 369 child welfare professionals about factors contributing to employee retention and turnover. Children and Youth Services Review, 29(2), 264–281.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ferguson, K. (2005). Professional supervision. In M. Rose & D. Best (Eds.), Transforming practice through clinical education, professional supervision and mentoring. Edinburgh: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gibbs, J. (2001). Maintaining front-line workers in child protection: A case for refocusing supervision. Child Abuse Review, 10(4), 323–335.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Green, D. (2007). Risk and social work practice. Australian Social Work, 60(4), 395–409.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harkness, D. (1995). The art of helping in supervised practice. The Clinical Supervisor, 13(1), 63–76.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harkness, D., & Hensley, H. (1991). Changing the focus of social work supervision: Effects on client satisfaction and generalized contentment. Social Work, 36(6), 506–512.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harrison, R., & Westwood, M. (2009). Preventing vicarious traumatization of mental health therapists: Identifying protective practices. Psychotherapy Theory, Research Practice, Training, 46(2), 203–219.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hawkins, P., & Shohet, R. (2000). Supervision in the helping professions (2nd ed.). Buckingham: Open University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Healy, K., & Meagher, G. (2007). Social worker’s preparation for child protection: Revisiting the question of specialisation. Australian Social Work, 60(3), 280–298.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hensley, P. H. (2003). The value of supervision. The Clinical Supervisor, 21(1), 97–110.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hughes, L., & Pengelly, P. (1997). Staff supervision in a turbulent environment: Managing process and task in front-line services. Jessica Kingsley, UK.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kadushin, A. (1976). Supervision in social work. New York: Columbia University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • McPherson, L., Frederico, M., & McNamara, P. (2016). Safety as a fifth dimension in supervision: Stories from the frontline. Australian Social Work, 69(1), 67–79. doi:10.1080/0312407X.2015.1024265

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mor Barack, M., Levin, A., & Nissly, J. (2005). Why do they leave? Modeling child welfare worker’s turnover intentions. Children and Youth Services Review, 28(5), 548–577.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mor Barack, M., Travis, D., Pyun, H., & Xie, B. (2009). The impact of supervision on worker outcomes: A meta-analysis. Social Services Review, 83(1), 3–32.

    Google Scholar 

  • Morrison, T. (2005). Staff supervision in social care: Making a real difference for service users (2nd ed.). Brighton, UK: Pavilion Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nissly, J. A., Mor Barack, M., & Levin, A. (2005). Stress, support and workers’ intentions to leave their jobs in public welfare. Administration in Social Work, 29(1), 79–100.

    Google Scholar 

  • Perry, B. (2009). Examining child maltreatment through a neurodevelopmental lens: Neurosequential model of therapeutics. Journal of Loss and Trauma, 14(4), 240–255.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Richards, M., Payne, C., & Shepperd, A. (1990). Staff supervision in child protection work. London: National Institute for Social Work.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rothschild, B. (2006). Help for the helper. New York, NY: Norton.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ruch, G. (2007). Reflective practice in contemporary child care social work: The role of containment. British Journal of Social Work, 37(4), 659–680. doi:10.1093/bjsw/bch277

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rushton, A., & Nathan, J. (1996). The supervision of child protection work. British Journal of Social Work, 26(3), 357–374.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ryan, S. (2008). Mindful supervision. In R. Shohet (Ed.), Passionate supervision. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Siegal, D. (2012). The developing mind. New York, NY: Guildford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stanley, J., & Goddard, C. (2002). In the firing line: Violence and power in child protection work. Chichester, UK: John Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Van der Kolk, B. (2005). Developmental trauma disorder. Psychiatric Annals, 35(5), 401–408.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thompson, L., & West, D. (2013). Professional development in the contemporary educational context: Encouraging practice wisdom. Social Work Education: The International Journal, 31(1), 118–133. doi:10.1080/02615479.2011.648178

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, S. (2009). Proactively managing for outcomes in statutory child protection—The development of a management model. Administration in Social Work, 33(2), 136–150.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zlotnik, J., De Panfilis, D., McDermott Lane, M., Daining, C., Summers, L., & Wechsler, J. (2005). Factors influencing retention of child welfare staff: A systematic review of research. Washington, DC: Institute for the Advancement of Social Work Research. http://www.socialworkpolicy.org/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/5-CW-SRR-FinalExecSummary.pdf. Accessed 25 Jan 2010.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Arts and Social Sciences, Social Work, Southern Cross University, Gold Coast, Australia

    Lynne McPherson

  2. Therapeutic Care Program, Australian Childhood Foundation, Melbourne, Australia

    Noel Macnamara

Authors
  1. Lynne McPherson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Noel Macnamara
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lynne McPherson .

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2017 The Author(s)

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

McPherson, L., Macnamara, N. (2017). What Does the Literature Tell Us About Supervision?. In: Supervising Child Protection Practice: What Works?. SpringerBriefs in Well-Being and Quality of Life Research. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-50036-2_2

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-50036-2_2

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-50034-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-50036-2

  • eBook Packages: Social SciencesSocial Sciences (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation