Critical analysis of social work supervision in the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Social Development: an Afrocentric perspective.

Abstract

The study seeks to use an Afrocentric perspective to critically analyse social work supervision in the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Department of Social Development (DSD) to suggest possible ways to develop Afrocentric-based supervision. Threading through this study is the significance of an ongoing relationship on the one hand between supervision and social work practices and on the other the development of supervision alongside the latter. Despite the proximal relationship between social work practice and supervision, the vast scholarly contribution to Afrocentric social work, and several Afrocentric-related studies conducted in the DSD, there is a view that there is not much published expression on the conceptual and contextual understanding of supervision that embraces the Afrocentric paradigm. The Afrocentric theory and critical social theory underpinned the study. Twenty social workers and supervisors were purposively sampled from the identified districts on the KZN DSD. Three key informants were also selected for expert opinions in relation to the critical analysis of social work supervision through the Afrocentric perspective. Data was collected from the participants through in-depth semi-structured interviews and analysed through thematic data analysis. Findings reveal that participants mainly conceptualise supervision that would be Afrocentric-based as one that is culturally relevant, considers African spirituality and traditions, is people and community-centered, and is characterised by humanness and holistic. Hence, participants described the features of Afrocentric-based supervision as one that should recognise African cultures and traditions and be community-centered, holistic, and Ubuntu-centered. Participants' description of the features of the Afrocentric-based supervision is consistent with the key informant's description as they concluded that Afrocentric-based supervision should be informed by justice, truth, commitment, peacefulness, calmness, and community. Policy transformation and restructuring, stakeholder engagement and consultation, and conducting extensive research on Afrocentric-based supervision were among the possible ways that participants deemed critical towards the development of Afrocentric-based supervision. The study recommendations are threefold and relate to recommendations relating to future research, current social work practice, and policy restructuring.