A strengths perspective on supervision of social workers

Authors

  • Lambert Engelbrecht

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1921/swssr.v14i1.483

Keywords:

<i>strengths perspective</i>, <i>social work practice</i>, <i>management</i>, <i>supervision</i>, <i>social development</i>

Abstract

Abstract:The growing discourse on neoliberal ideas and the resulting new public management measures have an immense impact on the management and leadership models employed at social welfare organisations all over the world; and call for a critical theory beyond a deficits approach as an interpretative framework. In response, this article propounds a strengths perspective on supervision of social workers, which is a key element in a social development approach to social practice, and which also finds common ground with supervision in other contexts. The South African welfare context is presented as a best practice vignette of a strengths perspective on supervision employed at a welfare organisation. It is concluded that a strengths perspective has transformational potential; and as a proactive response to neoliberal global and local market demands, compels managers to employ strengths-based interpretative frameworks for assessments and personal development plans of those they supervise in order to develop a facilitative alternative management paradigm.

References

Botha, N.J. (2002) <i>Supervision and consultation in social work</i>. Bloemfontein: Drufoma\nBradley, G., Engelbrecht, L.K., and Höjer, S. (forthcoming). Supervision: a force for change? Three stories told. <i>International Social Work</i>\nChapin, R.K. (1995) Social policy development: The strengths perspective. <i>Social Work</i>, 40, 4, 506-514\nCohen B-Z. (1999) Intervention and supervision in strengths-based social work practice. <i>Families in Society</i>, 80, 5, 460-466\nEngelbrecht, L.K. (2004) Operationalising a competence model of supervision to empower social workers and students in South Africa. <i>Social Work/Maatskaplike Werk</i>, 40, 2, 206-216\nEngelbrecht, L.K. (2010) Yesterday, today, and tomorrow: Is social work supervision in South Africa keeping up? <i>Social Work/Maatskaplike Werk</i> (forthcoming)\nFerguson, H. (2003) Outline of a critical best practice perspective on social work and social care. <i>British Journal of Social Work</i>, 33, 1005-1024\nGray, M. and Collet van Rooyen, C. (2002) The strengths perspective in social work: Lessons from practice. <i>Social Work/Maatskaplike Werk</i>, 38, 3, 193-201\nHare, I. (2004) Defining social work for the 21st century. The International Federation of Social Workers’ revised definition of social work. <i>International Social Work</i>, 3, 47, 406-424\nHafford-Letchfield, T., Leonard, K., Begum, N., and Chick, N.F. 2008. <i>Leadership and Management in Social Care</i>. London: Sage publications\nHealy, K. (2005) <i>Social Work Theories in Context. Creating frameworks for practice</i>. Basingstoke: Palgrave-Macmillan\nHollis, F. (1966) <i>Casework: A psychosocial therapy</i>. New York: Random House\nHughes, M and Wearing, M. (2007) <i>Organisations and Management in Social Work</i>. London: Sage\nKadushin, A. (1976) <i>Supervision in Social Work</i>. New York: Columbia University Press.\nKadushin, A. and Harkness, D. (2002) <i>Supervision in Social Work</i>. (4th ed.) New York: Columbia University Press\nLewis, J.A., Packard, T., and Lewis, M.D. (2007) <i>Management of Human Service Programs</i>. (4th ed.) Belmont: Thomson Brooks/Cole\nMohr, B.J., Mckenna, C., Lee, S. and Daykin, J. (2008) Strenghs-based organizatons: The challenge for appreciative inquiry 2.0? <i>A1 Practitioner. The international journal of A1 best practice</i>. November\nOko, J. (2000) Towards a new model of practice. in P. Cox, S. Kershall, and J. Trotter <i>Child sexual assault: Feminist perspectives</i>. London: Palgrave\nO’Donoghue, K. (2002) <i>Global-Vision, Local-Vision, Personal-Vision and Social Work Supervision</i>. Paper presented to Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers Conference, Christchurch, 31October-2 November\nPerlman, H.H. (1957) <i>Social Casework: A problem-solving process</i>. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press\nPatel, L. (2005) <i>Social Welfare and Social Development</i>. Cape Town: Oxford University Press\nRapp, C.A. (1998) <i>The Strengths Model: Case management with people suffering from severe and persistent mental illness</i>. New York: Oxford University Press\nRSA (Republic of South Africa) (1978). Ministry for Social Development. South African Council for Social Service Professions. <i>Social Service Professions Act</i> (100 of 1978). [Amended National Welfare Act (Act 100 of 1978).] Pretoria: Government Printers\nRSA (Republic of South Africa) (1997). Ministry of Welfare and Population Development. <i>White Paper for Social Welfare</i>. Notice 1108 of 1997. Government Gazette, Vol. 386, No. 18166 (August 1997). Pretoria: Government Printers\nRSA (Republic of South Africa) (2006). Department of Social Development. <i>Integrated Service Delivery Model</i>. Pretoria: Government Printers\nSaleebey, D. (1992) <i>The Strengths Perspective in Social Work Practice</i>. New York: Longman\nSaleebey, D. (1996) The strengths perspective in social work practice: Extensions and cautions. <i>Social Work</i>, 41, 3, 296-305\nSaleebey, D. (1999) The strengths perspective: Principles and practices. in B.R. Compton and B. Galaway <i>Social Work Processes</i>. Pacific Grove: Brooks Cole\nSaleebey, D. (2002) <i>The Strengths Perspective in Social Work Practice</i>. (3rd ed.) Boston: Allyn & Bacon\nSaleebey, D (2008) <i>The strengths Perspective in Social Work Practice</i>. (5rd ed.) Boston: Allyn & Bacon\nWeick, A., Rapp, C, Sullivan, W.P., and Kisthardt, W. (1989) A strengths perspective for social work practice. <i>Social Work</i>, 34, 6, 350-354\nWeick, A. and Saleebey, D. (1998) Postmodern perspectives for social work. in R.G. Meinert, J.T. Pardeck and J.W. <i>Murphy Postmodernism, Religion and the Future Of Social Work</i>. Binghampton, NY: Haworth\n

Downloads

Published

2012-12-20

How to Cite

Engelbrecht, L. (2012). A strengths perspective on supervision of social workers. Social Work and Social Sciences Review, 14(1), 47-58. https://doi.org/10.1921/swssr.v14i1.483

Issue

Section

Articles