Beyond a Sugarcoated Pill: Critical Approaches to Social Work Field Supervision

Abstract

Critical pedagogy seeks to link education to social change and often forms a basis for social work curriculum in some university courses. However, less of this emphasis is given to understanding critical supervision practice for social work students while on placement in terms of the development of a critical praxis. We believe critical approaches to supervision are an overlooked and crucial aspect to maintaining critical social work practice in current neoliberal welfare contexts. This article presents key approaches that we have found useful in constructing and realizing a critical approach to social work field supervision and ultimately, the future practice of students in their respective fields. This article contributes to an ongoing discussion and strengthened engagement in critical approaches to field supervision and supports the development of social work students as critical thinkers and practitioners.

Rethinking social work supervision: is a ‘radical supervision’ model possible?

“…Front-line social workers are confronted with anti-immigration and neoliberal policies, poor working conditions, forces of structural oppression, and human rights violations (Teloni et al, 2020). Supervision grounded in critical social work theory and anti-oppressive practice cannot but be a response to all of this (Kostecki et al, 2021).…”