Process Recording in Supervision of Students Learning to Practice with Children

Abstract

This article addresses the use of process recordings insupervising social work students learning to practice with children. Although process recordings are a traditionalmethod of teaching and learning social work practice, they have received little attention in the literature of social work practice and social work education. Process recordings of sessions with children have not been examined. The authors review literature on interviewing children, on process recording and on supervision in socialwork practice. Case examples illuminate how written process recordings can enhance learning and promote a supervisory alliance. The authors propose four key elements of process recordings for practice with children, including full description of play, child's exactwords, child's mastery and student's thoughts/feelings. They conclude that adequately prepared process recordings examined in sequence, over time, reveal progress in student learning.

Key Words:

• Process recording
• student supervision
• social work practice with children