BJSW Advance Access originally published online on June 23, 2006
British Journal of Social Work 2007 37(6):1095-1112; doi:10.1093/bjsw/bcl057
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Field Supervisors Feelings and Concerns at the Termination of the Supervisory Relationship
Dr. Nehami Baum is a lecturer of the School of Social Work, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel.
Correspondence to Dr Nehami Baum, School of Social Work, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan 52900, Israel. E-mail: nehami{at}hotmail.com
This study deals with the neglected subject of the feelings and concerns of field supervisors at the termination of the supervisory relationship. Analysis of the written responses of 55 field supervisors to three open ended questions reveals a mixture of co-existent feelings: satisfaction, fulfillment and pride, along with relief, sadness, and/or frustration. It shows that the supervisors most prevalent concern was with whether they were good supervisors, and that only half of them related to professional issues involved in the termination. About half reported being left with feelings of gratification; others wrote of being left with the sense that they had not accomplished what they would have liked to. Beyond the specific findings, the studys main contribution is the light it sheds on supervisors perspectives on the experience of field supervision as a whole. Recommendations for practice and research are made.
Keywords: concerns, feelings, field supervisor, termination of supervisory relationship