S Karvinen-Niinikoski, Helsinki University, Göteborg 23.5.2007 FoUiVäst

Intervention and evaluation research on social work supervision – towards policies

for good practice

Synnöve Karvinen-NiinikoskiUniversity of Helsinki

Department of Social Policy and Social Worksynnove.karvinen@helsinki.fi

S Karvinen-Niinikoski, Helsinki University, Göteborg 23.5.2007 FoUiVäst

Intervention and evaluation research on social work supervision –towards policies

for good practice

1. Background: the value and role of supervision

2. Intervention and evaluation research3. Research review on evaluation on

supervision4. Developmental intervention research on

social work supervision: two case studies

5. Policies for good practice in supervision

S Karvinen-Niinikoski, Helsinki University, Göteborg 23.5.2007 FoUiVäst

Background: the value and role of supervision

S Karvinen-Niinikoski, Helsinki University, Göteborg 23.5.2007 FoUiVäst

Supervision is central for social work, and human professions, but research and evaluation of it not very abundant. Supervision is an expanding business and becoming professionalised; territorial contestBig (?!) investment on staff developmentInteresting paradox: highly appreciated bypractitioners but not necessarilyexperienced to meet the demands in everyday practice

S Karvinen-Niinikoski, Helsinki University, Göteborg 23.5.2007 FoUiVäst

In Sweden a debate about the nature of social work supervision aroused by Egelund & Kvilhaug’s research project from 2002: does social work supervision meet the practice needs?

In Finland a national survey on supervisory practices in 2003 (Karvinen-Niinikoski & al.):doessocial work supervision meet practice needs?

In UK the line-management tradition in social work, but also outstanding expertise in psychodynamic-systemic theory for supervision (The Tavistoc Institute): Is there supervision in the Scandinavian sence?

S Karvinen-Niinikoski, Helsinki University, Göteborg 23.5.2007 FoUiVäst

Promises of professional supervision

In supervision litterature several theoretical and methodological approaches/schools, but in general:

- A method and organisational practice for staff support and development- Used to improve work-related well-being and professionaldevelopment and quality of service- Long roots in social work and in other human ”reflexive”professions as a forum for reflection- Containment and reflective structure- Parallell processes for better practice

Supervision allows practitioners to reflect on experiencesand emotions and it opens up ways for alternative action and critical practice; ideas of empowerment

S Karvinen-Niinikoski, Helsinki University, Göteborg 23.5.2007 FoUiVäst

A means for re-orientation and gaining wholisticunderstanding of the professional practice or -more generally - the professional agency in the changing working contexts

Pressures between the present routines and practices and the emerging new needs; innovative knowledge production

Reflexive and developmental supervision aims in integrating the individual reflection and learninginto the organisational and expansive learning (in which supervision plays an important role as an subjective element) (Karvinen-Niinikoski2004;2007)

S Karvinen-Niinikoski, Helsinki University, Göteborg 23.5.2007 FoUiVäst

Intervention and evaluation research for the development of supervison

S Karvinen-Niinikoski, Helsinki University, Göteborg 23.5.2007 FoUiVäst

My interests in and use of evaluation and intervention

1) How and if supervision in social workhas been evaluated2) How supervision contributes to work-related well-being3) Can supervisory practices bedeveloped towards the developmentaland empowering concept of supervision

S Karvinen-Niinikoski, Helsinki University, Göteborg 23.5.2007 FoUiVäst

Evaluation, intervention, formationDifferent approaches in evaluation

- strictly realistic controlled experimental designs(=intervention for control?) for summative measurement of the effects (e.g. Cambell& al.)

- self-evaluative and empowering methods for formativeevaluation (=intervention for development) (e.g. Fetterman2001; Dahler-Larsen & Krogstrup 2003; Dahlberg & Vedung2001)

- change theoretical and activity theoretical evaluation(Weiss 1999, Edwards & al. 2006)Intervention research as a model for developmentalprojects for expansive learning (developmental workstudies by Engeström,Y & al. - e.g. 2006; Engeström, R. & al. 2006) – a mode of formative evaluation - if you please -Change Laboratory - method for intervention research and expansive learning (Engeström & al. 1999) and DialogicalWorkshop – a supervisory method for personal and motivational development of the human subject for expansive learning (Hakkarainen & Jääskeläinen 2006)

S Karvinen-Niinikoski, Helsinki University, Göteborg 23.5.2007 FoUiVäst

References on evaluation and intervention research

Chen, H-T. (2005) Practical program evaluation. Thousand Oaks & al: Sage.Dahlberg, M. & Vedung, E. (2001) Demokrati och brukarorientering. Lund: Studentlitteratur.Dahler-Larsen, P. & Krogstrup, H. (2003) Nye veje I evaluering. Århus: Systime.Edwards, A. & al. (2006). Working to Prevent the Social Exclusion of Children and Young People. Final Lessons from the National Evaluation of the Children´sFund. Research report 734. Dept. for education and Skills. England: University of Birmingham & London University Institute of Education.Engeström, Y. & al. (2006) Expansive learning as collective concept formation at work. In Yamatzumi & al. (eds) New learning challenges. Going beoynd the industrial age system of school and work. Kansai University Press, pp. 47 -77.Fetterman, D. (2001) Foundations of empowerment evaluation. Sage.Hakkarainen,P. & Jääskeläinen, P. (2006) Osaamisesta ammatinhallintaan. (From individual knowing how to agency). In Eteläpelto & al. (eds.) Aikuiskasvatuksen vuosikirja 46.Karvinen-Niinikoski, S. (2004) Social work supervision: Contributing to innovative knowledge production and open expertise. In Gould, N. & al. (eds.) Social work, critical reflection and the learning organisation. Aldershot: AshgateKarvinen-Niinikoski, S & al. (2007) Työnohjaus sosiaalityössä (Supervision in Social Work). Edita. Forthcoming book, Autumn -07.Weiss, C.H. (1999). Evaluation. Methods for studying programs and policies. Second Edition. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.Virkkunen, J. & al. (1999) Muutoslaboratorio (Change laboratory). Uusi tapaoppia ja kehittää työtä. Helsinki: Kansallinen työelämän kehittämisohjelma. Raportteja 6.

S Karvinen-Niinikoski, Helsinki University, Göteborg 23.5.2007 FoUiVäst

Research review on evaluationon supervision 2004 -2006

S Karvinen-Niinikoski, Helsinki University, Göteborg 23.5.2007 FoUiVäst

Research review on evaluation and impact

assessment on supervision in human services

On-going search in several central data-bases over years2004-2006Unfinished review (data search finished)Poor catch, most on nursing and clinical therapy; somechild protection workStrong professional interest of proving and improving; individual orientation? (nursing)Mainly supervisee/practitioner feedback on the experiencedquality and meaning of supervision; but: What does the organisation gain? What contribution to work-related well-being? What is that what is working in supervision?Quasi-controlled experimental designs

S Karvinen-Niinikoski, Helsinki University, Göteborg 23.5.2007 FoUiVäst

Data search 2004 - 2006

10 international databases(SSA,ASSIA,SociolAbstr,PAIS,Sage; EBSCO, PsycEBSCO,ERIC,Emerald,AARPA, sep. NordicsearchesBroad thesaurus for supervision, evaluation, management and leadership, professionaldevelopment etcTotal catch 2802 articles; Ref Works analyses of the total for ”Supervision and Evaluation”: Social work 13, Nursing 29; ped & psych 20; diverse 15Whole text anal not ready, but by abstracts: social work 1 – 5/13 (strictly none), nursing all29/29

S Karvinen-Niinikoski, Helsinki University, Göteborg 23.5.2007 FoUiVäst

Developmental intervention research on social work supervision: two case studies on ”reflexive” supervision

S Karvinen-Niinikoski, Helsinki University, Göteborg 23.5.2007 FoUiVäst

CASE 1. DEVELOPMENTAL SUPERVISION

-background factorsMissing policies for supervisory practicePractitioner experience of exclusion from organisational policiesOn-going and drastic organisational change processesStaff recruitment and retension problemsIntellectual and professional capitalTrust and Flow

S Karvinen-Niinikoski, Helsinki University, Göteborg 23.5.2007 FoUiVäst

DEVELOPMENTAL SUPERVISIONChange laboratory for organisational dialogue by supervision

National programme for ”flow” and appeal in social work(Työelämän vetovoimaisuus,VETO). A piloting group supervision (6 social workers) process for oneyear’s time (28 hours; 2 h/3 weeks) in a municipal social servicesdepartment with on-going structural changes in service production. Experienced supervisor with systemic and psycho-dynamic orientation. Documentation by audio and videotape recording. Supervisorysupervision/research dialogues.A change laboratory/Developmental workshop (CL)for developingorganisational dialogue and for supervision policy. Four 3 hourworkshops for mirroring the pilot supervision material and research-based information on supervision and reflective structures in the organisation (eg the national survey questionnaire and data on the locallevel). Social workers and the managemnet. Experienced problems (eg. Why does the management not listen to us; How dare we pose the difficult questions;Where does the speking lead us?) discussed in witha method for dialogical workshop in the CL.Expected results: ideas for the local supervision policy; embryos/pilotsfor reflective and dialogical structures; knowledge and research on supervisory dialogue; evaluation of a supervisory process

S Karvinen-Niinikoski, Helsinki University, Göteborg 23.5.2007 FoUiVäst

Case 2.Proactive supervision for a multi-

professional activity-concept

User involvement in supervisory processKey –workers and the multiprofessionalnetworkDirect supervision as co-supervision in a pilot groupSociodynamic and strengths perspectiveapproach as boundary transferOpen dialogue for boundary transfer and open expertise

S Karvinen-Niinikoski, Helsinki University, Göteborg 23.5.2007 FoUiVäst

case 2. model

A group supervision of professional from 6 different fields of expertise working with the samecaseThe client, a single mother and her motherparticipating the supervisionaudio-taped documentation; core team reflections4 x 3 hours processDirect supervision/paring supervisionSocio-dynamic approach and solution-focusedsupervision methods

S Karvinen-Niinikoski, Helsinki University, Göteborg 23.5.2007 FoUiVäst

Role and value of reflexive and developmental supervision

Professional growth and identity beoyndprofessionalismWork-related well-beingOrganisational dialogueOrganisational policies and politics”Breathing organisation”Proactive expertiseUser perspective in partnership

S Karvinen-Niinikoski, Helsinki University, Göteborg 23.5.2007 FoUiVäst

What do we learn from evaluation and intervention research on supervision?Renewed concept of supervision for ”the Breathing Organisation” (Karvinen-Niinikoski 2007)

Retention through partnership and trustDialogue for coping innovatively withchange and complexityExpansive expertise for learningorganisation

S Karvinen-Niinikoski, Helsinki University, Göteborg 23.5.2007 FoUiVäst

Policies for good supervisory practices

Hawkins,P. & Shohet, R. (2000) Supervision in the helping professionsSCIE: supervision policy for organisations(www.scie.org.uk)”Ideal models” of different schools for supervision”Breathing organisation” (Karvinen-Niinikoski2007) and supervision as a part of leadership and management strategies for work-related well-being (comp. Ruch 2005 ”case conferences”)Organisational structures for reflection and innovation

S Karvinen-Niinikoski, Helsinki University, Göteborg 23.5.2007 FoUiVäst

Thank you for your attension!