The integrated service delivery model challenges regarding the implementation of social work supervision framework in Mopani District, Limpopo Province

Abstract

The White Paper on Social Welfare expects social workers to address issues of poverty and inequity, and to promote social development services through the Department of Social Development (DSD). In order to be responsive to the needs of the poorest, the marginalised and the most vulnerable groups in society, social workers have to be supported to fulfil the national service delivery mandate. In this regard, DSD developed a supervision framework for the social work profession in 2012, for effective and efficient service delivery, however, supervision of social workers is still burdened by unprecedented challenges at the workplace, like inadequate training and structural support, poor working conditions, unmanageable workloads, problem of power dynamics and uneasy alliances. These prompted the researchers to evaluate the implementation of supervision framework for social work profession. An evaluation research design was adopted for the study which employed a quantitative approach. Stratified systematic random sampling was used to draw a sample of 90 respondents comprising of students on practicals, social auxiliary workers, social workers and their supervisors in the Mopani District. Questionnaires were used to collect data which was analysed descriptively. Findings show that supervision cannot be effectively implemented due to high supervisor-supervisee ratio and that supervisees have negative attitudes towards supervision because of varying reasons and recommended awareness trainings, workshops and road shows as some of the strategies to remedy the situation. It is anticipated that these measures would change the negative attitude of supervisees towards supervision and improve service delivery.