Reflective Practices in Supervision: Why Thinking and Reflecting Are as Important as Doing

Abstract

The professionals who work in the child welfare system make critical decisions that have long-term impacts on the lives of children and families, and these case-level determinations must be made with careful consideration. Given the high stakes nature of child welfare work, there is tremendous pressure to “do” something at all times. There is a demand for child welfare workers and supervisors to act but less focus on the actual thinking about cases. Case decisions must be grounded in information secured from multiple sources of data. This task is notably difficult, time consuming, and complex due to high levels of uncertainty. Decisions at all critical junctures in the child welfare system are made with incomplete, insufficient and, at times, contradictory information. In the face of uncertainty, practices that assist workers in improving their decision making are both desirable and appreciated.

The process of reflective supervision and other reflective practices holds promise for addressing the needs of caseworkers and promoting child- and family-centered practice. These practices help workers manage the stressful nature of the work by providing a space to reflect on their own thoughts and feelings. Supervision that is less focused on compliance with discrete, concrete tasks and more on thoughtful decision-making provides an opportunity to move child welfare work beyond the narrow focus on investigation of abuse to a holistic assessment of child and family needs. It also increases the potential for keeping committed, compassionate, and well-educated workers in the field of child protection as abuse and neglect are complex issues and difficult to address. Moving child welfare to a point where thinking, problem-solving, and exploring emotions is part of standard practice has the potential to improve decisions that are made when working with children and families. The evidence for reflective practice, while still emerging in social work, has shown early positive outcomes in Early Head Start programs serving families and young children in the community. Continued research into how to implement reflective practices and ongoing examination of the results at the child, family, and organizational level is called for so that we can improve the lives of children, families, and the individuals who are charged with their safety.