Building a Model and Framework for Child Welfare Supervision

A Continuum of Initial and Ongoing Training for Supervisors Including Peer Support,
Mentoring, and Clinical Consultation. A primary obstacle to effective child welfare supervision
most consistently identified by key informants and by the
literature (e.g., Center for Advanced Studies in Child
Welfare 2009; Faller 2003; NRCOI 2007; Robison 2006)
is the pervasive lack of ongoing supervisory training.
Although the Child and Family Services Reviews found
that ongoing training is offered to frontline practitioners in most states (CFSR final reports are
available at http://basis.caliber.com/cwig/ws/cwmd/docs/cb_web/SearchForm), generally training
for supervisors is either non-existent or focuses on practice-relevant topics. For example, a
supervisory training session might focus on domestic violence, without addressing how supervisors
should specifically apply the content in their role with supervisees.
Other obstacles to supervisory practice
Insufficient training is the biggest obstacle to
identified by key informants and the literature effective supervision. The state is currently in the
include uneven provision of accessible and
process of creating supervisory training and tools
informed supervision for supervisors and the
to help guide them in their support of workers and
lack of regularly available peer support,
mentors, and clinical consultation. To address cases. – Administrator
these obstacles, organizations must:
• Make training an accepted part of everyone’s job. Day-to-day job demands shouldn’t put
training on the “back burner.” "Ensure extra staffing to allow for training attendance" (Blase &
Fixsen 2004).
• Demonstrate the value placed on training for supervisors by expecting, encouraging, and
ensuring supervisory participation in training events.
• After training events, reinforce key learning points to ensure that
classroom skills are used in day-to-day work.
There is a lack of
ongoing training
• Provide a continuum of educational supports for supervisors, including that’s really targeted
initial and early in-service; regularly scheduled supervision;
to supervisor
accessibility to mentors and clinical consultants; and accessibility to competencies. You
structured, regularly scheduled peer learning and support groups, such
can go to substance
as facilitated learning labs and peer group case review and problemsolving.
abuse training, but
it’s not targeted to
• Ensure that training design and content balance knowledge and skillsbuilding
in the administrative, educational, and supportive aspects of
supervisors. –
supervision; and include instruction and practice in sharing and
Supervisor
applying the learning with supervisors’ teams/units.
• Offer training opportunities in varied formats and locations (e.g. on-line, local classroom,
teleconference, webcast, partial day format, interactive web-based, etc.) to accommodate
supervisors’ demanding responsibilities and schedules
Administrators and managers must communicate the importance of ongoing educational support for
supervision, and consistently expect and protect supervisors’ participation. For example, placing
supervisors in double-bind situations by requiring their attendance at meetings scheduled in conflict
with supervisory training or peer group meetings conveys to supervisors and all agency staff that
ongoing supervisory training is not a priority.
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When you first become a supervisor
there is good training, but no ongoing
training is provided. – Supervisor