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Supervision Tools
Resources in this section provide concrete tips and strategies for developing worker competencies, strengthening supervisory leadership, enhancing clinical supervision, and supervising for retention, including State and local examples.
Supervisory Case Reviews: Tools to Monitor and Improve Practice
National Child Welfare Resource Center for Organizational Improvement (2007)
Features the work of two States that have developed supervisory review processes as part of their quality improvement systems.
Action Planning: A Problem Solving Tool: Trainer's Guide (PDF - 77 KB)
Institute for Child and Family Policy, Edmund S. Muskie School of Public Service (2003)
Focuses on action planning to achieve identified outcomes for programs. This 2-hour workshop is designed for child welfare supervisors and managers and reviews components and steps for action planning at the case and program level. It includes assessing needs and strengths, visioning, engaging stakeholders, implementing the plan, and revising strategies as necessary.
Clinical Supervision
Homestead Schools (2005)
Provides instructions and materials for completing a course on clinical supervision and obtaining educational credit.
Developing Worker Competency
Protective Services Training Institute of Texas (2005)
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Provides a scripted curriculum for teaching a course for supervisors to improve management techniques and to enhance staff retention.
Empowerment Skills for Leaders: A Leader Handbook
Forest & Palmer-House (2004)
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Aims to instruct social work supervisors in the competencies necessary for family development and empowerment-based supervision. The handbook examines leadership styles and strategies for alleviating stress and communicating with staff. Also available: Instructor's Manual
Promoting Structured Clinical Casework Supervision in Public Child Welfare: Curriculum Outlines and Selected Materials
Southern Regional Quality Improvement Center for Child Protection (2006)
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Provides outlines of the educational processes that projects in four States (Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee) implemented to develop knowledge and skills supervisors need to promote a structured clinical casework supervision approach. The report includes training materials, learning modules, materials for online tutorials, and supervisory tools developed by the projects.
Quality Service Reviews: A Tool for Supervision (PDF - 287 KB)
Anderson
Safekeeping, 7(1), 2003
Describes the Quality Service Review (QSR), a self-evaluation tool that can help child welfare and social services agencies assess the effectiveness of their practices and the interventions they provide to the families they serve.
Staff Retention in Child and Family Services: The Practice of Retention Focused Supervision, Workbook 2 (PDF - 1037 KB)
Developing Models of Effective Child Welfare Staff Recruitment and Retention Training: Training Series: Staff Retention in Child and Family Services
Anderson, McKenzie, Jackson, & McKenzie (2007)
Provides research information and supervisory competencies for retaining effective staff, including self-assessment and planning tools. This is the second workbook in the Staff Retention in Child and Family Services series designed to increase child and family service agencies' effectiveness in developing and retaining their staff by applying information from research and best retention practices to their work.
Staff Retention in Child and Family Services: Communication Skills, Workbook 4 (PDF - 1107 KB)
Developing Models of Effective Child Welfare Staff Recruitment and Retention Training: Training Series: Staff Retention in Child and Family Services
Anderson, McKenzie, Jackson, & McKenzie (2007)
Provides specific information, tools, and activities to adapt communication skills to the supervisory relationship. This is the fourth workbook in the Staff Retention in Child and Family Services series designed to increase child and family service agencies' effectiveness in developing and retaining their staff by applying information from research and best retention practices to their work.
Staff Retention in Child and Family Services: The First Six Months, Workbook 5 (PDF - 1076 KB)
Developing Models of Effective Child Welfare Staff Recruitment and Retention Training: Training Series: Staff Retention in Child and Family Services
Anderson, McKenzie, Jackson, & McKenzie (2007)
Provides a structure, methods, and tools for orienting, supporting, and training new staff during their first 6 months on the job, with particular attention to helping staff cope with and manage the stressors of the job. This is the fifth workbook in the Staff Retention in Child and Family Services series designed to increase child and family service agencies' effectiveness in developing and retaining their staff by applying information from research and best retention practices to their work.
State and local examples
Planning Framework for Agencies Adopting Team-based Supervision and Practice: A Starter List of Operational Principles Along with Key Indicators of Their Implementation (PDF - 85 KB)
Lawson & Clairborne (2010)
Presents a comprehensive planning framework for quality supervision that includes six key components involving the roles and responsibilities for supervisors.
Safety, Permanency and Well-Being Quality Assurance Toolkit (PDF - 239 KB)
Minnesota Department of Human Services (2008)
Provides a case review instrument, workbook, and other tools designed to help supervisors examine casework practice and promote improved outcomes for children and families. The expectation for this condensed case review process is that a supervisor and the principle caseworker can complete a thorough case review within 90 minutes.
Social Services Supervisor's Handbook (PDF - 250 KB)
Georgia Division of Family and Children Services (2003)
Identifies the functions of the social services supervisor concerning casework, including case record review, documentation, volunteer services, child placement, family services, child protective services, and adult protective services.
Tools of the Trade: Preparation for Supervision. Participant's Guide (PDF - 1450 KB)
Georgia Department of Human Resources (2007)
Presents a training course for new supervisors in the Georgia Office of Family Independence and Social Services. It includes eight modules: making the transition to supervisor, communicating, coaching, planning and managing unit work, building better relationships, using data, team building, and maximizing individual performance. Also available: Trainer's Guide (PDF - 3920 KB)