Building a Model and Framework for Child Welfare Supervision

Element 7Support supervisors in their roles as unit leaders and changeagents.The emerging model for child welfare supervision also empowers supervisors to influence theagency as leaders and change agents (Cearly 2004; Children’s Rights & NCYL 2007; Dawson1998; NRCOI 2007; Shanock & Eisenberger 2006). When an organization’s practices and/orpolicies exclude supervisors from such activities, it clearly conveys a de-valuing of their pivotal rolein the organization, their expertise, and their firsthand understanding of frontline practice issues andpractitioners’ and clients’ needs and concerns. Therefore, the model necessarily incorporates• systematically including them in quality assurance activities, program evaluation, andredesign of information systems, forms, and procedures;• training supervisors first for all policy and practice changes;• involving supervisors in the recruitment, selection, and training of new frontlinepractitioners (NRCOI 2007; CO DHS 1994; Strand 2008; Dickinson 2007); and• frequently recognizing supervisors’ own and their units’ accomplishments.The nature and degree of supervisors’ involvement in the activities Supervisors have theiridentified above will vary among organizations, ranging, for example, thumbs on the pulse offrom having supervisors directly provide training to frontlinepractice. Supervisors havepractitioners to having supervisors create and implement a trainingto take a leadership role—plan with each practitioner in their unit (CO DHS 1994). However,through supervisors’ experiences with frontline practitioners, they they have a key role inhave a front row view of practice situations in which agency policy is shaping and developingnot having the desired effects as well as situations for whichpolicies and practices. –appropriate policy has not yet been developed. Therefore,Administratororganizationally, supervisors are in a critical position to identifypolicy issues and needs and propose and advocate for relevant changes. Similarly, supervisorsdirectly observe the degree to which agency systems, such as information systems, and tools, suchas forms, either facilitate or undermine efficient and effective service delivery.Agency administrators and managers must recognize that supervisors’ observations, knowledge,and expertise are valuable resources upon which child welfare agencies can systematically draw inevaluating programs, policies, and infrastructure and in developing and implementing necessarychanges. Kadushin and Harkness stress, “The supervisor is in a strategic position to act as a changeagent. Standing between administration and the workers, he or she can actively influenceadministration to make changes and influence workers to accept them” (2002:75)22