Work Based Supervisors Guidance Launch | BASW England PC&D Group

A guide to provide an overview of the supervisory role of placement providers and Work Based Supervisors.

Placements are central to the social work learning process, and it is only with the excellent learning opportunities offered by Placement Providers and Work Based Supervisors (WBS), that we are able to produce capable and confident social workers.

The launch of the Work Based Supervisors Guidance is intended to provide an overview of the supervisory role for placement providers and for Work-Based Supervisors. While this guidance is tailored to social work placements, supervisors who are supporting learners at later stages in their careers, such as newly qualified social workers, may also find it helpful.

Members of the BASW England Professional Capabilities and Development (PC&D) group are really pleased to launch the new guidance we have produced for Work Based Supervisors. Work Based Supervisors are a vital part of the practice learning process for social work students and learners during their practice learning placements, yet they do not always receive consistent and robust levels of support and access to information and resources they need to prepare for and to carry out the role.

Over the last few months a working group have met regularly to consider what key information Work Based Supervisors would find most helpful, particularly for members of staff taking on the role for the first time. We have engaged widely with practice educators, work-based supervisors. course providers, teaching partnerships and social workers to shape the guidance in order to clarify the role and responsibilities, the challenges that may be encountered, the benefits of taking on the role and what support and guidance they should expect.

We see the guidance as a first step for Work Based Supervisors to understand more about the role and to be signposted to other relevant practice education guidance, standards and legislation. The guidance is a foundation for Work Based Supervisors to take their learning forward and as an opportunity for continued professional development.