BASW Cymru Practice Workshop: Supervision as Social Work Practice: Reframing Knowledge, Values and Relationships through Co‑Production

Supervision has long been regarded as central to social work, yet its purpose, form and impact remain contested. This seminar draws on a research study undertaken in adult social work services in Wales that explored the proposition that supervision should be inclusive of citizens, thereby reflecting and reinforcing the principles and aims of the Social Services and Well‑being (Wales) Act. The premise of the research is that supervision and practice exist in a symbiotic relationship, and that citizens’ experiential knowledge within supervisory processes represents a vital, yet largely unacknowledged, constituent of social work knowledge. For many professionals, however, the idea of involving citizens directly in supervision was initially experienced as a disorientating dilemma, challenging established assumptions about supervisory roles and boundaries. This seminar examines whether citizens’ voices and narratives have begun to influence supervisory conversations either in group settings, reflective spaces or alternative models. Conversely, whether supervision has remained largely confined to the traditional binary 1:1 managerial relationship. This seminar will be interactive, offering space for dialogue, critical reflection and shared exploration of how supervision might evolve to extend practitioners’, managers’ and citizens’ knowledge of supervision.

Presented by Dr. Heather Tyrrell