Towards a psychosocial formulation of newly qualified social worker supervision: bringing the self into supervision

ABSTRACT

This paper details the evaluation of a psychosocial model of reflective supervision piloted by the authors with a group of Assessed and Supported Year in Employment (ASYE) supervisors who supported newly qualified social workers. The authors proposed that a psychosocial approach to reflective supervision, based on the integration of Kleinian object-relations and systemic theory, had the potential to reduce the anxiety of newly qualified social workers as they entered the profession. The supervisors undertook training in the model online over three separate days, with supervisors encouraged to apply the ideas between sessions and reflect upon their experiences with peers in a community of practice model. Although evidencing a reduction in NQSW anxiety proved problematic, the evaluation did demonstrate that the psychosocial approach to supervision was welcomed by the supervisors, and that it brought the selves of both the supervisors and supervisee into supervision, through an exploration of relationships, identity, and emotion. Organisational resistance in the form of social defences against anxiety that denied the emotionality and subjectivity of social worker experience were highlighted by supervisors; however, these appear to be mitigated by the community of practice element of the model.

KEYWORDS:

• Social work supervision
• Newly Qualified Social Workers
• Systemic social work
• Psychosocial social work
• Psychoanalytic social work
• Supervision Training
• Anxiety and defence

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Gillian Ruch and Jo Williams for their support in editing this paper.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

H. Smith

Henry Smith is a lecturer at the University of Sussex. He has over 15 years experience working in a variety of academic and children and family social work settings.

l. Parish-Mackin

Lara Parish Mackin is an experienced social work practitioner and manager who currently works as a Principal Practice tutor for Frontline.

R. Wise

Ryan Wise is a Practice Tutor at Frontline. He also Director of Crescendo CIC, a social worker led organisation who work with local authorities to introduce practitioner led change system change and innovation.