PERFORMANCE EMBEDDED IN PROFESSIONAL SUPERVISION – THE WAY FORWARD FOR SOCIAL WORK

TEAM BASED PRIORITIES, OBJECTIVES AND GOALS ARE IDENTIFIED AND AGREED FROM DEPARTMENTAL SERVICE PLAN.. BOTH WORKER AND TEAM MORE OPEN TO INDIVIDUAL SUPERVISION AND TEAM BASED PERFORMAN

PERFORMANCE EMBEDDED IN PROFESSIONAL SUPERVISION – THE WAY FORWARD FOR SOCIAL

WORK

By

Helen Teresa Anne Hanlon

S ubmitted in partial fulfilment of the requirement

for the degree of Masters of Business

Administration in Health S ervices Management

Thesis S upervisor:

Ms Anna Jennings, S chool of Applied S ocial

S cience, University College Dublin.

Graduate S chool of Business University College Dublin

&

Royal College of S urgeons in Ireland

April 2007

Abstract

is possible.

TA B L E 3 T E A M L E A D E R S - P E R F O R M A N C E

M A N A G E M E N T E X P E R I E N C E S 8 5

TA B L E 4 S O C I A L W O R K E R S - P E R F O R M A N C E

E x h i b i t 1

SUPERVISION

&

PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT

Adapted from Morrison, Staff Supervision in Social Care, 2005

 S u p e r v i s i o n e x p e r i e n c e s w i t h i n t h e c o n t e x t o f c h i l d

p r o t e c t i o n a n d w e l f a r e s e r v i c e d e l i v e r y

 M o v i n g t o w a r d s a p e r f o r m a n c e m a n a g e m e n t s y s t e m

-o r g a n i z a t i -o n a l s y s t e m s a n d c a p a c i t i e s

d i s t i n c t i o n b e t w e e n i n d i v i d u a l a n d g r o u p s u p e r v i s i o n

T h e t e r m s u p e r v i s i o n h a s m a n y m e a n i n g s a n d t h e r e i s n o

a g r e e d d e f i n i t i o n i n t h e l i t e r a t u r e T h e m u l t i f u n c t i o n a l

u n a m b i g u o u s o b j e c t i v e s S u c h c o n d i t i o n s o f w o r k i n g p o i n t

t o w a r d s t h e d e s i r a b i l i t y o f s u p e r v i s i o n o f t h e w o r k e r( K a d u s h i n , 1 9 9 2 )

A n d e r s o n ( 2 0 0 0 ) i n r e v i e w i n g t h e w o r k o f B a u m a n n e t a l( 1 9 9 7 ) i d e n t i f y t h e b u r e a u c r a t i c p r o c e s s e s o f c h i l d

p r o t e c t i o n w o r k , p a r t i c u l a r l y i n a d e q u a t e s u p e r v i s i o n a s

l e a d i n g d i r e c t l y t o b u r n o u t a n d e x i t i n g o f s t a ff f r o m t h e

s u g g e s t s t h a t s u p p o r t f r o m c o l l e a g u e s a n d s u p e r v i s o r s

o ff e r p r e v e n t s b u r n o u t i n c h i l d p r o t e c t i o n w o r k e r s H o r o w i t z( 1 9 9 8 , p 3 7 2 ) i n a t t e m p t i n g t o a p p l y r e s i l i e n c e t h e o r y t o

t r a u m a t i s e d c h i l d p r o t e c t i o n w o r k e r s , p r o p o s e s t h a t s e l f

-e s t -e -e m i s -e n h a n c -e d w h -e n w o r k -e r s a r -e a b l -e t o c o m p l -e t -e

t a s k s i n a v a l i d a t i n g a n d s u p p o r t i v e e n v i r o n m e n t G i b b s( 2 0 0 1 ) i n h e r s t u d y o f c h i l d p r o t e c t i o n w o r k e r s i n t h e s t a t e

o f Vi c t o r i a e x t r a p o l a t e s f r o m h e r s t u d y t h a t a n e a r l y

e x p e r i e n c e o f b o t h a p r o d u c t i v e a n d a v a l i d a t i n g

s u p e r v i s o r y r e l a t i o n s h i p p r o v i d e s t h e w o r k e r w i t h s o m e

c a p a c i t y t o b e t t e r c o p e w i t h s u b s e q u e n t a d v e r s i t y F r o g g e t t( 2 0 0 0 ) i d e n t i f i e s t h a t d e f e n s i v e s t a t e s o f w o r k e r s c a n b e

i n a d e q u a t e a n d i n s u ff i c i e n t s u p e r v i s i o n w i t h r e s p o n d e n t s

r e p o r t i n g t h e i r d i s s a t i s f a c t i o n a l s o w i t h t h e q u a l i t y o f

s u p e r v i s i o n p r o v i d e d S t u d i e s c a r r i e d o u t b y G a d s b y Wa t e r s( 1 9 9 2 ) i n t h e f i e l d o f c h i l d p r o t e c t i o n , a n d M a r s h a n d

THE PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT CYCLE

Armstrong ,M & Baron, A (2000) The Essence of Performance Management in Performance

Management-the New Realities, London, CIPD.

c o n s u l t e d a b o u t t h e d e s i g n o f t h e s y s t e m

Exhibit 3

PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT CYCLE

DETERMINING PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS

E x h i b i t 4 – F r o m M o r r i s o n ’s S t a ff S u p e r v i s i o n i n S o c i a l

C a r e , 2 0 0 5 , P 6 0

SUPERVISION OUTCOME CYCLE

1 EFFECTIVE SUPERVISION: CLEAR, SAFE AND ENABLING SUPERVISOR HAS ACCURATE ASSESSMENT OF WORKERS COMPETENCE.

2 WORKER CLEAR AND CONFIDENT ON ROLE AND TASK.

3 USER HAS CONFIDENCE IN THE WORKER.

4 INCREASED CLARITY, TRUST, OPENESS, SHARING OF INFORMATION, REDUCED ANXIETY, STRONGER PARTNERSHIP BASE.

5 CLEARER MORE

EVIDENCE-BASED ASSESSMENT WORKER AND

USER CLEAR ON NEXT STEPS AND

1 LEVEL 1 SERVICE PLAN - NATIONAL PRIORITIES,

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE NATIONAL HEALTH

SERVICE EXECUTIVE ARE SET OUT ON A NATIONAL

LEVEL.

2 LEVEL 2 SERVICE PLAN - NATIONAL HOSPITAL AND PCCC PROGRAMME PRIORITIES, GOALS AND OBJECTIVES ARE IDENTIFIED.

3.LEVEL 3 SERVICE PLAN LOCATED AT DEPARTMENTAL LEVEL SETS OUT KEY PRIORITIES, GOALS AND OBJECTIVES FOR DEPT SHARED EXPECTATIONS ARE AGREED.

4 TEAM BASED PRIORITIES, OBJECTIVES AND GOALS ARE IDENTIFIED AND AGREED FROM DEPARTMENTAL SERVICE PLAN

SHARED EXPECTATIONS ARE AGREED.

5 BETTER AND MORE SHARED PLANS ARE IDENTIFIED AND AGREED BY THE TEAM GROUP/TEAM BASED SUPERVISION CAN ENABLE THIS PROCESS AND FACILITATE PERFORMANCE REVIEW

6 INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE APPRAISED

THROUGH INDIVIDUAL SUPERVISION

INDIVIDUAL WORKER FEELS MORE

REWARDED AND CONFIDENT IN THEIR

WORK SERVICE USER MORE CONFIDENT

IN WORKER.

7 BOTH WORKER AND TEAM MORE OPEN TO

INDIVIDUAL SUPERVISION AND TEAM BASED

PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT.

s t r u c t u r e d i n t e r v i e w g u i d e w i t h a c o u p l e o f c o l l e a g u e s

l o c a t e d o u t s i d e t h e i m m e d i a t e g e o g r a p h i c a l r e s e a r c h a r e a

Supervisory Experiences – Team

1 Awareness of key

Activities to be covered under

management function

2 What issues are substantively

focused on

Work reviewed in accordance with legal and agency requirements Formulation of action plans on cases Case load management.

Work reviewed in accordance with legal and agency requirements Formulation

of action plans on cases Case load management.

Case management Anything that refers to the cases will dominate the supervision session.

Work reviewed in accordance with agency and legal requirements Action plan formulation.

3 Explanations for these supervisory

behaviours and activities

Agency and legal requirements Time constraints on team leaders.

These are most closely linked and aligned to the performance of the duties

in child protection services Clarity of role and responsibilities is key to the delivery of good social work so that is why they are discussed in every single case discussion

Statutory responsibilities, high levels of referrals and high caseloads Time constraints and pressure on team leader.

Time constraints Legal and statutory

requirements Need to know job is being done.

4 How can current model of

supervision be strengthened and built on

Reduce ratios of staff to be supervised by team leaders.

Organisational mandate and clarity on how to conduct performance appraisals

Framework to evaluate performance

Manageable workload for team leaders

Need to consider how some of the functions may be addressed through group/team based approaches Role of senior practitioner needs to be developed.

Supervision policy needs to take more account of case management duties on team leader and social workers Reduction in workload for everyone More time to facilitate comprehensive supervision.

Reduction in workload for T/Ls in order that all four functions can be adequately met

5 Impact on the role of

Everyone is caught up in case management priority of the work

Probably social workers on reflection would see that supervision

is incomplete and inadequate in terms of meeting their emotional and educational needs.

Provides focus and structure in work Provides

a secure base for professional practice.

6 Are social workers

being supervised in accordance with

management function

they do and in taking responsibility in bringing cases for discussion

Supervision as a process is entered into

in good faith and therefore social workers are being supervised.

Yes but some aspects are underdeveloped because the drive is

on case management, case discussion and action planning No formal appraisal but does provide feedback to staff on overall performance.

Yes

Workload at any given time.

Case discussion and planning

Case discussion and planning

Accountability Fear Media

& public pressures. Focus on best practice issues Driven also by

model of supervision be

strengthened and built

on

Team/group supervision

Group learning forums. Supervision training Review current practice

Make better use of team processes.

Need to tap into strengths of social workers Integrated approach to supervision.

More time for reflective practice More focus on other functions Need for training on supervision for both social workers and team leaders In-built techniques On managing work related stress Group learning forums

More dedicated time to the other functions Peer support and group learning forums Formal recognition of the heavy emotional component of the work Prioritising supervision.

Tick boxing exercise

Covering the organisational responsibilities and bases

Clear goals and tasks and focus in your work No formal opportunity or space for reflective practice Tend

to rely on informal peer support.

Not a balanced approach

to supervision Not enough reflective practice time.

6) Are social workers

Complexity of the work requires regular discussion.

Lack of Team Leader time due to high nos to supervise

Time High levels of case loads and activity

Separate out accountability function and hold separate supervision on other functions

Reduce workload of T/L.

T/Ls need assistants

Group supervision More group learning Good supervision policy.

Reflective practice/time with T/L Reduce caseloads Training on supervision.

allocation/suitability to the competence and skill base of the social worker.

Not enough reflective practice Prescriptive Practice.

Being supervised? Yes but no formal

takes place Currently Infrequent No appraisal

Performance Management

Team Leaders

1) Are you familiar with the

HSE plan to introduce Team

Based Programme

Management

2) What are your views on this? Good idea Needs to be specific

to social work service Need clear set of performance objectives and indicators Need comprehensive induction programme

Likes the principle it is based on

- team-based responsibility and ownership Main difficulty may

be where the team may set a different set of priorities to the HSE national priorities

As a plan it is the way to go

However serious reservations in terms of the additional time and responsibilities involved Seen

as a whole new piece of work for team leader with a set of expectations Needs to be resourced with people and time

in order that everyone has a reduced workload to take this

on However good vehicle to address service deficits and identify community based approaches to addressing client needs Has capacity to be creative and to utilise the different skills of staff

Good development Sees supervision as playing an important role in managing overall team objectives.

3) How can supervision

contribute towards a robust

Performance Management

System

Team and group supervision

Clarity about role of supervision

in meeting performance objectives and measurements

Personal development planning.

Where there is clarity about role and function, what one is meant

to be doing and team have shared understanding, there will

be consistency across the team and therefore better quality of service delivery.

Team/group based approaches

to supervision in managing the teams work collectively including yearly targets

Appraising/monitoring performance in meeting responsibilities

Not sure of linkages

Table 3 Performance Management – Team Leaders

Need clear performance objectives and indicators Sounds good in principal Measurement

tools required that include quality dimensions.

Concerned how it will

be implemented in practice

Regular supervision with manageable caseloads

Need system to deal with under performance

Need integrated training strategy Systems and processes that value the worker.

More reflective practice discussions More emphasis on other functions More training

on specific issues presenting in cases.

Regular supervision Need integrated approach to supervision.

Prioritisation of supervision.

Table 4 Performance Management – Social Workers

Your views on this Good idea Empowerment model to

decide priorities and targets Will encourage collective thinking and practice and standardise service delivery

Needs to be resource supported Quality dimension to measurement is critical

Team focused in approach Strengths focused Issue of different levels of productivity Individuals work production will be more scrutinised Need

to set realistic targets

Good idea in principle.

Bottom up approach to target setting

Empowerment model

Concern regarding PIs

Need to capture quality dimension of the work.

Good idea in principle Team and strengths based approach Difficult to set standard performance targets and measurements with families Quality dimension of the work needs to be captured 3) How can

Supervision training for S/Ws.

Review case and workloads of social workers Training for social workers and team leaders.

Mechanism for managing under performance Regular and consistent supervision Team/ group supervision Mentoring, coaching Group learning forums Dedicated space

to discuss the emotional impact of the work

Reduce workload of T/L.

Need performance indicators that reflect the quality dimension of the work Review of supervision policy so it becomes a living, working document with supervision underpinned

in it as a right

Supervision should be seen as

More support to manage under or poor performance

Mentoring and coaching opportunities Group supervision.

12 Morrison has provided training to social workers and team leaders in various health boards in

Ireland (now HSE) and has reported these experiences in his book Staff Supervision in Social Care,

2005.

A MONTHLY BASIS FOCUS ON REFLECTIVE PRACTICE/LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR CONSULTATION OUTSIDE PLANNED SESSIONS.

YEARLY FORMAL APPRAISAL.

INTEGRATED MODEL FOR SUPERVISION AND PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT

MEDIATION FUNCTION.

REGULAR STAFF MEETINGS OUTSIDE OF TBPM MEETINGS TO DISCUSS

ORGANISATIONAL, RESOURCE AND POLICY DEVELOPMENT ISSUES.

EDUCATION AND CONTINUOUS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

INCLUDE PROCESS OF PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PLANNING

BY TEAM LEADER SENIOR PRACTITIONER TO DEVELOP,

PROVIDE AND IMPLEMENT INDIVIDUALISED TRAINING

PROGRAMMES INCLUDING INDUCTION AND ADVANCED

TRAINING FOR STAFF TEAM IN MEETING ORGANISATIONAL

OBJECTIVES IN COLLABORATION WITH TEAM LEADER.

ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN INFORMING CHILDCARE TRAINING

STRATEGY INVOLVED IN COACHING , MENTORING AND

ACTION RESEARCH ACTIVITIES INVOLVED IN PEER

CONSULTATION, PEER SUPPORT AND ROLE MODELING.

SUPPORT FUNCTION. A MINIMUM

OF THREE YEARLY SESSIONS BY

TEAM LEADER TO MONITOR THE

OVERALL HEALTH AND

EMOTIONAL FUNCTIONING OF THE

WORKER, ESPECIALLY WITH

REGARD TO STRESS AND

BURNOUT TO TAKE PLACE

OUTSIDE OF OFFICE

ENVIRONMENT MONTHLY

DESIGNATED PEER SUPPORT

SESSIONS TO DISCUSS COMPLEX

CASES OR ASPECTS OF CASE

MANAGEMENT /INTERVENTIONS.

ACCESS TO PEER SUPORT AND

STAFF WELFARE SERVICE.