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Casework Supervision

Version 2.0, 2011

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Goals for the TrainingIn this training we will cover:

Tools to help you better assess the needs of the social workers in your unit

Tools for building the professional skills of the social workers in your unit

A format and process for group case conferences

A format and process for in individual case conferences

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Three Distinct Types of Supervision

Functional

Reflective

Developmental

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Supervision and Compliance

What are some key compliance issues to address in supervision?

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Positive Outcomes from Focusing on Professional Development

What positive outcomes can be influenced by the supervision interaction?

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Building Professional Skills in Supervision What types of professional skills can be

developed in supervision?

Professional skills make the difference in whether families succeed or fail,

whether children are protected, and whether the goals of our practice are

achieved.

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Widening the Focus: Including Reflective and Developmental Supervision

Reduces turnover and develops skilled and autonomous social workers who provide the best possible services for families

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Role of Supervision in the Development of Professional Practice Skills

Adults retain only 10-15% of training unless it is reinforced with opportunities to practice new skills while receiving feedback from a supervisor

Adults learn by relating new information to what they already know

Adults learn by doing

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Mixing it Up: On the Job Learning

Formal Training

Experience

Supervision

It is best to use a variety of methodologies coordinated by the supervisor as part of a development plan.

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Developmental and Reflective Supervision

Developmental Assessment of social

worker’s professional development strengths and needs.

Engagement. Increased professional

skills. Discussion of bias,

templates and triggers.

Reflective Analysis of actions,

decisions and outcomes.

Discussion of the emotional element of social work practice.

Positive feedback and praise.

Reflective discussion.

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Your experience Describe an

experience you had with developmental supervision.

Describe an experience you had with reflective supervision.

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Table Group Activity:Supervisor Impact What area of

professional development did the supervisor address with you?

How did this supervisor teach you?

What was it that you learned?

How have you carried that forward as a supervisor?

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Developing Staff Professionally

You do this every day!

You can make a huge difference in the professional development of your staff.

You pass down knowledge to the next generation of practitioners.

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Fairness and Equity

Social Work Survey on Disproportionality

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Ethnic/Racial Group

California Population

In Care in California

Latino 49% 46%

White 31% 24%

Asian 10% 3%

African American 6% 26%

Native American 0.5% 1%

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Dialog about the Impact of Race, Ethnicity and Bias on our Work can..

Help build a community of mutual respect which leads to deeper exploration and greater growth.

Provide a model for social workers to engage in conversations about race and ethnicity.

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What should Supervisors be doing to address Fairness and Equity with Staff?

Ongoing self-examination for biases regarding workers’ performance

Development of strategies to address disparities in decision making

Advocacy for services to underserved populations

Discussions of fairness and equity issues in individual supervision and unit meetings

Participation of community members in unit meetings to build relationships with social workers and agency personnel (Becker, 2005).

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Check In

What are your feelings about conscious discussions of race, ethnicity and bias with individual social workers and in unit meetings?

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Templates In order to process large amounts of

information, we rely on preconceived models (templates) to sort out what is important and what isn’t .

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Examples of Templates Supervisors need to help social

workers do both of these tasks: Become more aware of the unconscious

assessments they are using to make decisions about families

Become better able to articulate the conscious assessments they use to make decisions about families.

Assessment tools address bias and help social workers focus on specific pieces of information that have a relationship to child safety and assessment of risk.

VS

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Templates Where do Templates

come from?

Templates: can help us organize all the information that comes at us during the course of a day.

Being aware of our templates helps us ensure they don’t impact our work.

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Recognizing Templates Things to consider in order to recognize

templates and potential for bias:1. Why people’s frames of reference (templates)

differ.2. How templates affect fairness and equity in

practice.3. Strategies to better understand our own and

others’ templates.

Social Worker Vignettes Ann Smith and Bob Williams

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Tips for talking to Social Workers about Templates and Bias

Don’t wait for this issue to come up. Begin the conversation by explaining the templates

concept. Be prepared to share some personal information as

a way to move the conversation forward. Ask the supervisee to help you develop a list of

potential triggers that may affect the supervisee.

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How are these Templates likely to affect practice?

Physical Discipline Alcohol Poverty

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Discussing Templates with Staff We can’t guess a person’s templates even

if we know something about his/her experience. We all make different sense of things.

For supervisors, it is important to be able to discuss templates with your staff.

Templates are not good or bad, they are just what you have made of your experience.

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Small Group Activity:Exploring the Concept of Templates

Read the vignette.

Answer the worksheet questions individually.

Discuss your answers as a group.

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The best we can hope for is that we become aware of what our templates are, not be defensive about them, and understand they influence our practice

significantly.

Templatesframe our

worldview

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Authority Scale

Exploring the impact of authority on the relationship between social workers and families.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Wants to be in control

Dislikes being in control

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Authority Scale

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Allows the supervisor and social worker to explore the concept of authority and use of authority.

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1 10

3 7

Authority Scale

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1010

1010

Authority ScaleFinding the Balance

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Authority Scale Worksheet Use the table on the

worksheet to estimate the authority style for the social workers in your unit.

Read your assigned scenario and

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Situational Leadership A model that assists supervisors in

adapting the case conference to best complement the readiness level of their staff.

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Four Supervisee Development Levels

Level 1: The Enthusiastic Beginner

Level 2: The Disillusioned Learner

Level 3: The Capable but Cautious Contributor

Level 4: The Self Reliant Achiever

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Skill and Commitment Matrix

C

omm

itm

ent

Less commitment

Development Level 3

Capable, but cautious

Development Level 2

Disillusioned learner

More commitment

Development Level 4

Self-reliant achiever

Development Level 1

Enthusiastic beginner

More competence Less competence

Competence

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Leadership Styles

Style 1: The Director

Style 2: The Coach

Style 3: The Supporter

Style 4: The Delegator

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Support and Direction Matrix

S

uppo

rt

More support

Style 3

Supporter

Style 2

Coach

Less support

Style 4

Delegator

Style 1

Director

Less direction More direction

Direction

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Matching Development Levels and Leadership Styles

Development Level Leadership Style

D1: The enthusiastic beginner S1: The director

D2: The disillusioned learner S2: The coach

D3: The capable but cautious contributor

S3: The supporter

D4: The self-reliant achiever S4: The delegator

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Implementing the Situational Leadership Model1. Develop a list of the supervisee’s typical

tasks  2. Assess the supervisee’s development on

each task3. Determine the best leadership style for

each task 4. Review your assessment with the supervisee

and seek input      5. Revise your assessment as needed        6. Include follow-up assessment and revision in

the supervision plan     

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Conscious Competence

Con

scio

us

Less conscious

Development Level 3

Capable, but cautious

Consciously competent

Development Level 2

Disillusioned learner

Unconsciously incompetent

More conscious

Development Level 4

Self-reliant achiever

Unconsciously competent

Development Level 1

Enthusiastic beginner

Consciously incompetent

More competent Less competent

Competence

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Genograms

Can be used in individual and group supervision to build a common understanding of the family system and dynamics.

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Review of Genograms A Family Tree Maps at least 3 generations Shows the relationships of

family members Collect important

information An Assessment tool Reveal family behavior and

repetitive patterns

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Genogram Construction1983 1982

m. 2000; d. 2005

01-02

Fraternal Twins Identical Twins

2001 2003 2004

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Create your own Genogram

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Professional Practice Issues1. Minimum Sufficient

Level of Care (MSLC)2. Strength-Based

Practice 3. Applying Federal,

State, and Local Rules, Policies and Procedures

4. Promising Practices5. Standardized

Assessment

6. Documentation7. Fairness and Equity8. Legal Permanency and

Concurrent Planning 9. Engagement 10. Sensitivity to Cultural

Differences 11. Outcomes

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Addressing Practice Issues with Staff

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Taking it Home…

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Good Morning!

Welcome Back!

Goals for Today

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Group Case Conferences A process by which

individual cases are presented by unit members, facilitated by the supervisor or an experienced unit member.

The overall goal of enhancing the professional skill level of the entire unit.

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Group Case Conference Format

Involved Parties Safety and Risk Concerns Strengths Cultural Description and

Considerations Needs and Minimum

Sufficient Level of Care Prior Interventions Plan for Reducing Risk of

Future Maltreatment Permanency Plan Conference Issue

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Process for Selecting CasesSuggested by: Social workers

who want feedback from the group about a specific case

The Supervisor due to a key issue the supervisor wants to discuss with the group.

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Small Group Activity

How many Training Topics can you find?

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Successful Group Conferences

When implementing a new system or procedure it is important to let everyone know:

What to expect When to expect it How to respond

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Tips for Implementing Successful Group Conferences Regularly scheduled-

every 2 to 4 weeks Mandatory Scheduled in advance Last between 60 to 90

minutes Held in at a quieter

time and in a quiet, comfortable work space (refreshments help!)

Avoid interruptions (ensure cell phones are off)

Obtain Administrator’s buy in

Introduce the concept of Group Case Conferences with the group before you begin them

Focus on one case per conference

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Setting the Stage:Preparing the Group for the Process

Concepts to explore with the Group:

Genograms Case Presentation Format Authority Scale Confidentiality Templates “I” References

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Preparing for a Specific Conference

In the beginning, the supervisor should select a “champion of the process” that will set the stage for conferences to come.

Meet with the Social worker to review the case

Ask the presenter to complete the form; Review the content

Have a backup presentation available

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Role Play The roles:

Supervisor (the facilitator)

Carole (the presenter) Marsha (D1) Adam (D2) Monica (D3) Demitri (D4)

The vignette: The Morello family

The training topic: Select from the list on

page 70

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Individual Case ConferencesProvides a protocol to:

Assure that central issues of decision-making are addressed consistently

Good practice is reinforced consistently

Ensure the supervisor can account that appropriate decisions are being made consistently

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Concern about Time

Block out time to schedule conferences, while limiting in-depth discussions at other times

Conferences can help make better use of available time

Can result in fewer casework dilemmas

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Individual Case Conference Format

Allows for three basic types of supervision to occur in the conference (Functional, Reflective and Developmental)

Two Types of Formats:

ER Case Conference Format Continuing Services Case Conference Format

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Covered in ER and CS Conferences Demographics Original Concerns Contacts Engagement &

Authority Scale MSLC Standardized

Assessment

Reasonable Efforts Review of Prior History Family Language &

Culture Bias Triggers

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Specific to the Emergency Response Case Conference

Allegation conclusions and referral disposition (be sure to include a discussion of the evidence supporting allegation conclusions)

Required cross reporting Participatory practices

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Specific to the Continuing Services Case Conference Format

Discussion of case plan participation and progress

Permanency (including concurrent plan, permanent connections, placement stability, ILP participation, TILP completion, and teaming strategies such as CPYP or Wraparound)

Visitation planning

Eligibility issues (Linkages)

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Next Steps: Action Plans

Developed by the social worker and supervisor in the case conference

Leave space for a response from the family

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Individual Case Conference Standards Meet regularly Prepare in advance Conduct the conference according to

social worker’s development level Discuss all families every month Devise a mutual action plan and provide a

copy of it to the social worker Allow for family input on conference

decisions

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Daily Shape Up Case Conferences Allow the social worker and supervisor to

meet briefly at the beginning of each day

Supervisor provides: feedback and direction about the social

worker’s plan for the day any additional information available about

resources, safety considerations or coordination with other social workers.

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Reflective Case Conferences Allow the social worker and supervisor to

explore the social worker’s practice skills and outcomes

Involves: A reflective discussion encouraging the

supervisee to think critically about perceptions and actions

A review of the life of a case with an analysis of actions, decisions and outcomes.

Includes specific encouragement and positive reinforcement from the supervisor

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Individual Case Conference Activity

Scenario

Questions

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Embedded evaluation

Applying Casework Supervision Concepts

Debrief Part A - Authority Matrix & Engagement Efforts

Question 1:Which of the CWW’s behaviors might lead to

problems in engaging with the family?

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Debrief Part A - Authority Matrix & Engagement Efforts

Question 2:The supervisor is concerned about a mis-match between the CWW’s authority level and the family’s authority level. List at least two behaviors the social worker should adopt to better engage the parents:

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Debrief Part B - Standardized assessment and identification…:

Question 1:Are the CWW’s suggested case plan actions addressing the priority needs identified during the safety and risk assessment?

Yes No

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Debrief Part B - Standardized assessment and identification…:

Question 2 (follow-up to previous question):

- If “Yes”, write 3 examples of how the CWW’s case plan actions address the priority needs ID’d during the safety and risk assessment.

- If “No”, write 3 questions you would ask to redirect the CWW’s case plan actions so that they address the priority needs ID’d during the safety and risk assessment.

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Debrief Part C - Family language & culture:

Question 1:You suspect that the CWW might have a template related to culture.

As a supervisor, what would you say to the CWW to address the concept of templates with respect to culture in the interactions between this CWW and this family?

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Debrief Part C - Family language & culture:

Question 2:As a supervisor, what questions would you ask the CWW to help him/her integrate the family’s language and culture into the provided services?

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Debrief Part D – Templates:

Question 1:In what ways have the CWW’s personal experiences been similar to what this family has experienced?

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Debrief Part D – Templates:

Question 2:Which of the CWW’s behaviors leads to a concern that the CWW’s templates are affecting how s/he works with the family?

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Debrief Part D – Templates:

Question 3:As a supervisor, provide at least three questions that you would ask the CWW in order to help him/her identify potential templates:

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Taking it Home…