Gauteng DSD Strengthens Social Work Supervision Through Annual Provincial Forum Elections
The Gauteng Department of Social Development (GDSD) today hosted the 4th Annual General Elections for the Provincial Social Work Supervisors Learning and Support Forum at Johannesburg Correctional Services in Naturena.The Forum serves as an important platform for strengthening social work supervision, promoting learning, sharing best practices, and supporting social work practitioners in advancing continuous professional development.
Through the Forum, the Department is able to promote effective, ethical and accountable social work supervision, ultimately strengthening the delivery of quality, responsive and people-centred services to vulnerable children, families, individuals and communities across Gauteng.Addressing Social Work Supervisors, Managers and Senior Management in attendance, Gauteng Department of Social Development Head (HOD) Phumla Sekhonyane, echoed that effective supervision remains critical to ensuring that social workers are supported to respond to the complex needs of communities.“As we gather for this forum, we are reminded that effective professional social work supervision contributes to safer, responsive and rights-based services for vulnerable individuals, families and communities.”
Strengthening professional supervision
The Provincial Social Work Supervisors Learning and Support Forum was established as a structured platform to promote learning, peer support, professional development and consistency in social work supervision.
Its work is guided by the Policy on Supervision of Social Service Professionals and aligned with the Supervision Framework for the Social Work Profession, the Forum’s Terms of Reference and resolutions of the Social Work Indaba.“The Forum is therefore more than just a meeting structure; it is a professional mechanism for ensuring that supervision is implemented in a structured, ethical, accountable and developmental manner. It enables supervisors to share best experiences, identify common challenges, develop solutions and strengthen consistency in supervision practices across the province,” said the HOD.
She added, “The forum also promotes a collaborative approach, bringing together the Provincial Chairperson, Deputy Chairperson, Secretariat, Deputy Secretariat, regional and institutional Social Work Supervisor representatives, Provincial Coordinators and relevant management stakeholders.”“This structure ensures that supervisors are able to learn from one another, share best practices and collectively address challenges affecting the profession and service delivery.”
Recognising progress and achievements
The Department has acknowledged the important progress made by the Forum since its establishment. The structure has remained functional at provincial level, while supporting regional and institutional forums, promoting peer learning, facilitating capacity-building initiatives and strengthening reporting on supervision practices.
A significant achievement has been the national recognition received by Gauteng’s Provincial Social Work Supervisors Learning and Support Forum, which was awarded a trophy in acknowledgement of its functionality as a provincial forum.This recognition demonstrates that the work undertaken in Gauteng is aligned with national expectations for professional supervision structures and highlights the value of sustained investment in effective supervision.
Priorities for the new leadership
“Going forward, the Department will prioritise continued training on the Policy on Supervision of Social Service Professionals, the Supervision Framework for the Social Work Profession and related supervision tools.”“These priorities should be incorporated into Human Resource Development Training Plan, aligned with Individual Development Plans and, where possible, linked to Continuous Professional Development (CPD) accredited learning opportunities,” added HOD Sekhonyane.
The Department will also continue working to strengthen the functionality of regional and institutional forums, improve attendance and participation, ensure the timely submission of reports and address challenges including vacant supervisory posts, budget limitations, tools of trade, debriefing needs and access to professional development opportunities.
The Forum, which consists of eighteen (18) members representing Regions and Institutions has elected its new Chairperson, Lungiswa Sbukwana and her Deputy Chairperson, Lesego Mathebula who are expected to further strengthen leadership within the Forum and ensure that it remains a meaningful space for collaboration, learning, professional support and accountability among social work supervisors.
Call for continued support
The Department has called on Regional Directors, Social Work Managers, Social Work Supervisors and Forum representatives to continue supporting the work of the Provincial Social Work Supervisors Learning and Support Forum.This includes ensuring that supervisors are released to participate in Forum activities, supporting the implementation of resolutions, escalating systemic challenges and creating an enabling environment for effective supervision practice.
HOD Sekhonyane further encouraged members to use the Forum as a vehicle for strengthening professional accountability and improving the culture of supervision across the Department.“Let us use this Forum as a vehicle for strengthening accountability, improving supervision culture, supporting our supervisors and ultimately improving the quality of services delivered by the Department to the people of Gauteng.”
