Social Work Supervision

Social work supervision has been identified as one of the most important factors in determining the job satisfaction levels of social workers and the quality of service to clients. As an indirect but vital factor in the social work process, it is surprising that supervision has not received as much attention as other components of social work practice, such as social work research or administration. A book on social work supervision is desperately needed to bridge the gap between the demands of the field and the absence of literature. Social Work Supervision: Contexts and Concepts aims to provide readers with basic knowledge of theories, research, and practice of supervision. The book will address the needs of social work supervisors, frontline practitioners, students, and educators.

The book is ideally suited as a text for graduate courses on social work supervision, as it contains a comprehensive literature review of the historical development, theories and models, and empirical research studies of the subject. Equally important, this is a book from practice experience in supervision that enhances the competence of supervisory practice. It will help social workers, supervisors, and administrators to realize and revitalize their "mission" in social work, that is, to benefit clients.

Key Features:

* Presents social work supervision as a rational, effective, and interactive process focusing on the whole person of the social worker
* Discusses the history, the nature and definitions, and the theoretical models of social work supervision
* Explores the major functions of social work supervision—administrative, educational, and supportive
* Addresses the specific format and structure of supervision sessions

Ming-sum Tsui is Senior Lecturer in Social Work, Department of Applied Social Sciences, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University where he teaches social work supervision and human service management. Ming-sum has more than twenty years of experience in practising and teaching social work supervision. Before joining the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, he was service supervisor of Development and Health Services at the second largest voluntary social welfare agency in Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Christian Service. More than two decades ago, Ming-sum started his social work career in a community-based children and youth center. In his ten years of service in the Hong Kong Christian Service, he set up the first community-based family service center and the first counselling center for psychotropic substance abusers in Hong Kong. He also supervised a polyclinic and was responsible for program development, fund raising, research, program evaluation, and staff development of the Hong Kong Christian Service. Ming-sum received his undergraduate social work education in the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and later attained an MSW from McGill University and a Postgraduate Diploma in Management Studies from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. He is a member of the Academy of Certified Social Workers (ACSW) and the first international member of Certified Social Work Managers (CSWM). He is also a member of the American Management Association (AMA), Chartered Management Institute (CMI), and a Certified ISO Auditor. Ming-sum earned his Ph.D. in the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Toronto. His thesis research is on the construction of a culturally sensitive model of social work supervision. The research interests of Ming-sum are related to social work supervision, human service management, theory and practice of social work, and substance abuse. He has been the managing editor of the Hong Kong Journal of Social Work, consulting editor of New Global Development: Journal of International and Comparative Social Welfare, member of the editorial board of Research on Social Work Practice and Professional Development: International Journal of Continuing Social Work Education. He is also serving as an expert reviewer for 15 journals. Ming-sum has published ten books and more than 50 articles and research papers. His works have been widely published in academic and professional journals all over the world, including Journal of Social Service Research, The Clinical Supervisor, Social Work, Families in Society, International Social Work, International Journal of Management, New Global Development: International Journal of Comparative Social Welfare, The British Journal of Social Work, Social Development Issues, Asia Pacific Journal of Social Work, Hong Kong Journal of Social Work, Asian Journal of Counseling, Australian Social Work, China Social Work, Indian Journal of Social Work, Assessment & Research in Higher Education, Employee Assistance Quarterly, and Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal.