Department of Social Work School of Human and Community Development Faculty of Humanities University of Witwatersrand In partial fulfilment of the requirement for the degree MA (Occupational Social Work) February, 2016 / Supervision in the social work profession is fundamental to training, as it helps social workers to develop theirprofessional capabilities and improves their skills and knowledge of rendering quality services to clients. Lack of supervision for newly qualified social workers may compromise the quality of services received by clients.Effective supervision is associated with good quality service to clients, increased professional development and greaterjob satisfaction for social workers. A qualitative study was conducted with a sample of 20 newly qualified social workers employed at the Department of Social Development in Waterberg District of the Limpopo Province where individual supervision is the most commonly used method of supervision. The aim of the study was to explore the perceptions and experiences of newly qualified social workers regarding supervision at their workplaces. The data was collected through semi-structured interviews, using semi-structured interview schedule, and analysed using thematic content analysis. The non-probability and purposive sampling was applied. The main findings were that the newly qualified social workers recognisedmany of the strengths of the Department of Social Development Supervision Framework which included: ethics, a supervision contract, professional development and compliance with the Framework. The data analysed also revealed that supervision within the DSD is not conducted in compliance with the Supervision Framework and various factors affecting the quality of supervision in the Department were highlighted. This report concludes with a brief discussion of the findings and recommendations.

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Work

Thesis (Ph.D. (Social work)) -- University of Limpopo, 2018 / The aim of this study as borne by the topic, was to ascertain the supervision expectations of social workers in Vhembe District of Limpopo Province. The unit of the study were social workers employed by the Vhembe District Department of Social Development (Vhembe DSD or DSD) only. The study excluded social workers who were employed by the Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) or in any other capacity outside of the DSD. The data collection consisted of two phases; that is, firstly, a survey questionnaire which was administered to two hundred and five (N=205) social workers. The second phase consisted of structured interviews with ten (10) social work supervisors, and ten (10) supervisees. The structured interviews were meant to strengthen the quantitative data from the survey. The DSD‟s planning documents such as the Strategic Plan 2015-2020, the Annual Performance Plan 2016/2017 (APP) the Vhembe DSD Operational Plan 2016/2017(OPS Plan) and other documents were also studied to explain the themes that arose from the structured interviews. The document study provided a third stream of data collection. Large quantitative data was collected from the two hundred and five (N=205) social workers who voluntarily accepted to participate in the first part of study. The survey data collection covered the 9 sections on the questionnaire to determine the needs, these are; A. Demographics, B. Supervision Infrastructure, C. Purpose of Supervision, D. Process of Supervision, E. Types, Styles and Models of Supervision, F. Supervision Outcomes, G. Self-Evaluation, H. Readiness when first entered the work environment, I. Additional comments.The quantitative findings showed that the experience of supervision was not uniform among Vhembe District social workers in terms of their baseline supervision experiences and expectations. Apart from the supervision experiences being uneven, they also deviated considerably from the prescribed supervision norms in South Africa. Both the quantitative and qualitative aspects of the data have shown that supervision was not taking place as prescribed in the Norms and Standards (2011) and the Supervision Framework (2012), or it was not taking place at all in Vhembe District. The practice of supervision had diminished because the scope of practice of social work within the DSD has been reduced or downscaled. There was a tendency to shift the focus of social work services towards management of services rather than the provision of services to clients. Such management was mainly seen in the planning and reporting of services rendered where the emphasis was on the numerical targets rather than on the impact or quality of social work services rendered. The limitation of scope for social work and supervision practice resulted because the managerial focus tended to undermine professional focus and values of social work.The reduction of scope for social work and supervision was mainly due to structural misalignment between the vision, mission and the programme and budget structure of the DSD, both at the Head Office and in Vhembe District. The programmes that were meant to support and sustain professional matters, such as supervision and training; were either non-existent, not funded, or not funded at the correct levels or they lacked the human resources to drive them.The management focus also led to fewer supervisors being appointed. At the time of commencement of the data collection (ie., August 2016), there were only thirteen (N=13) substantively appointed supervisors to a population of more than three hundred social workers in Vhembe DSD. The poor supply and utilisation of supervisors was also caused by the DSD‟s failure to implement Resolution 1 of 2009 of the Health and Social Development Bargaining Council which regulate career paths for social workers in terms of the Occupation Specific Dispensation (OSD). The non-compliance with Resolution 1 of 2009 was also compounded by the failure of the DSD to provide work tools for the social workers. These are work tools such as vehicles to conduct home visits, computers and printers to prepare the reports and telephones to manage the daily operations of the work. The lack of work tools leads to low work output, and poor service rendering to the clients. Recommendations were made in terms of the short-term „low hanging fruits‟ actions that the DSD could immediately address, and other more medium-term changes to the organisational structure that can be linked to the DSD‟s planning cycle. The short term recommendations included the conducting of audit to establish the outstanding OSD implementations and the grade promotions of the social workers into senior posts to ready them for supervisory posts, among others. The more medium-term structural recommendations consisted mainly of a proposed supervision model for Vhembe DSD to address the gaps identified in the findings. / Health and Welfare SETA

M.A. (Social Work) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

Due to the emotional draining and potentially stressful nature of social work practice, the availability of social work supervision becomes desirable and necessary. Supervision has to be implemented continuously in order to render an effective and sufficient service to clients, families and communities. Social work supervisors have very important and necessary roles to play in the professional development of social workers and the effective functioning of the social services organisations in which they are employed. Additional to the responsibility pertaining to the social workers, supervisors are middle managers and thus have specific management responsibilities as well. The result is that the supervisor has to implement both supervision and management functions. Supervisors function under stress that is enforced by expectations from social workers and senior management. Social workers do have formal channels of feedback and support in the supervisors that provide opportunities for commendation. Supervisors have no such formally assigned sources of feedback or support. There is little recognition for their accomplishments and little or no support when they encounter problems. The problem is that the lack or absence of support and support systems for social work supervisors has a negative influence on their supervisory and managerial services to social workers. The supervisory and managerial expectations were identified as prove of the demands placed on supervisors as well as the work-related stress that they are subjected to. A few management strategies have been identified as possible support systems for supervisors in the management of supervisees. Support systems that were identified and discussed are employee benefits, employee incentives, job description, knowledge of the budget and financial controls, employee assistance program, supervisors’ peer support group, career planning, organizational culture, organizational climate and the immediate superior. The empirical research was done through the quantitative research technique and a mailed questionnaire as data gathering method. The social work supervisors of the Department of Welfare were the research population and the participating provinces were Mpumalanga, Free State and Eastern Cape. The data received through the questionnaires supported the indication that supervisors do not receive support in the execution of their responsibilities. It was confirmed that the identified support systems, if utilised and applied effectively, could provide supervisors with support. The empirical research and the literature study have confirmed the following research statements: 1. Insufficient support systems are available to supervisors in the social work profession. 2. The available support systems for social work supervisors are inadequately administered and utilised . 3. Due to the inadequate utilisation of support systems, supervisors experience lack of support resulting in neglected supervisory and managerial practice. Relevant data from the questionnaires and the literature study formed the basis for the development of guidelines for application of the support systems. It is recommended that these guidelines be implemented for the support systems to be effectively utilised and applied. / Thesis (DPhil (Social Work))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Social Work and Criminology / unrestricted

Thesis(PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 1996. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The study is focussed on the evaluation of the development of participatory management in supervision. The motivation for the study was, firstly, the increasing transformation of supervision to a more managerial form whereby social workers are guided in the fulfilment of their professional obligations; secondly, that social workers and supervisors expressed an increasing desire and wi 11 ingness to share the responsibi 1 i ty of managing direct practice through participation. The research was conducted within the conceptual framework of developmental research. The investigation of the existing state of supervision was undertaken by means of a literature study, as well as a quantitative-and qualitative survey among supervisors and their supervisees. This survey was also used to evaluate how developments in the theory and practice of participatory management was being brought into supervision. The probability that participatory management would continue to be implemented and developed in practice is high, since it is bedded in a scientifically-sound conceptual basis derived from authoritative literature and empirical support. Practising supervisors and supervisees can continue to apply participatory management in the ongoing reformation and restructuring of their management of direct practice. It could also contribute towards the improved quality of direct practice. The implementation of participatory management should go'beyond organisational limits. It should extend to the profession's accountability to the wider client system, which should be made aware of changes in the approach to direct practice management in the form of greater participation between seniors and subordinates. It is regarded as essential that participatory management approaches be subjected to tests to determine their efficacy, validity, and reliability as practice methods in supervision. Follow-up evaluation would help in the further development of participatory management in supervision. Further research with regard to participatory management is necessary with the view to maintaining its features in conformity with contemporary trends in the continuous reconceptualisation of management theory and practices. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie is 'n evaluering van die ontwikkeling van deelnemende bestuur in supervisie. Die motivering vir die studie was eerstens die toEmemende ontwikkeling van supervisie tot 'n meer bestuursgerigte vorm wat maatskapl ike werkers in die ui tvoer van hulle professionele pligte rig; tweedens, dat maatskaplike werkers en supervisors 'n toenemende behoefte en bereidwilligheid te kenne gegee het om die verantwoordelikheid van praktykbestuur te deel. Die navorsing is binne die konsepsuele raamwerk van ontwikkelingsnavorsing onderneem. Die huidige stand van supervisie is deur middel van 'n literatuurstudie ondersoek, asook deur 'n kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe opname ender supervisors en maatskapl ike werkers. Hierdie opname is ook gebruik om te eval ueer hoe ontwikkel inge in die teorie en praktyk van deelnemende bestuur by supervisie ingesluit word. Deelnemende bestuur sal hoogs waarskynlik voortgaan om in die praktyk ge'implementeer en ontwikkel te word, aangesien di t op 'n wetenskaplik gesonde konsepsuele grondslag berus wat deur gesaghebbende literatuur en empiriese gegewens gerugsteun word. Supervisors en maatskaplike werkers kan voortgaan om deelnemende bestuur te gebruik in die voortdurende verbetering en herstrukturering van die bestuur van hul praktyke. Deelnemende bestuur kan ook die gehalte van direkte dienslewering verbeter. Die implementering van deelnemende bestuur behoort nie deur organisatoriese grense ingeperk te word nie, maar behoort uitgebrei te word tot die beroep se aanspreeklikheid teenoor die bre~r kli~ntestelsel deur bewusmaking van veranderinge in die benadering tot praktykbestuur in die vorm van groter deelname tussen seniors en ondergeskiktes. Di t is noodsaakl ik om benaderings tot deelnemende bestuur te toets om hul doeltreffendheid, geldigheid en betroubaarheid as praktykmetodes in supervisie te bepaal. Opvolg-evaluering sou 'n verdere hydrae tot die ontwikkeling van deelnemende bestuur in supervisie maak. Meer navorsing oor deelnemende bestuur is ook nodig om tred te hou met huidige tendense in die volgehoue herkonsepsualisering van bestuursteorie en -praktyke.

published_or_final_version / Public Administration / Master / Master of Public Administration

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Work

The Department of Social Work, School of Human and Community Development, Faculty of Humanities, the University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Arts in the field of Social Development / The social work profession has long regarded professional supervision as central to the maintenance of best practices and has taken a leadership role in asserting the significance of supervision in human service settings. The goal of the study was to explore the experiences of child protection social workers with regards to supervision. The study utilized a qualitative research approach. Through a case study design, the researcher explored the experiences of a purposively sampled group of child protection social workers in Johannesburg on supervision. The researcher gathered qualitative data by carrying out face to face interviews with a total sample of twelve participants drawn from two child protection organizations based in the Johannesburg area. The study established that group supervision, individual supervision and peer supervision are the three main types of supervision utilised by child protection organisations, with group supervision being the most commonly used method. Furthermore, the study discovered that supervision plays three main functions in the work of child protection social workers, namely educational, supportive and administrative functions. The study also exposed numerous challenges faced by child protection social workers in their supervision of their daily work. In view of the study’s findings and conclusions in relation to the experiences of child protection social workers in supervision, the researcher proposes that child protection organisations need to utilise the most effective types of supervision which are beneficial to both the organisation and, more importantly, the clients they serve. / GR2017

Thesis (M. A. (Social Work)) -- University of Limpopo, 2016 / Refer to the document