Mapping Fieldwork Practice and Supervision Practice in the Social Professions

Despite historical and contemporary ambivalence (Banks, 2004) towardsprofessionalisation, it is a de facto reality in both youth work and community work.Professionalisation is manifested, in part, by a concern with standards of, and criteriafor, initial professional education and training programmes at third level, includingrequirements for supervised fieldwork. Little is known about the experiences,practices, and perceptions of fieldwork supervisors in these contexts (Spencer andMcDonald, 1998). The mapping exercise documented in two parts (part two appearsin the next issue) was undertaken as part of a larger scale practice research projectdesigned to generate knowledge about supervisors’ practice experiences. Part onefirstly explores supervision in the social professions, highlighting its three-fold focus onaccountability, learning and support. Secondly, fieldwork practice is examined withparticular reference to the development of reflective practice.