A Relational Approach to the Evaluation of the Practice Performance of Social Work Students in Greece: The Supervisors' Perspective

This case study attempts to present, from a relational point of view, the development and application of a student practice performance evaluation report in a tertiary social work educational institution, and accordingly to evaluate the supervisors satisfaction after they have used the report. A preliminary anonymous survey administered to supervisors revealed important problems in supervision practice. A four-hour training of the supervisors in using the new report followed, in which the necessity for each student evaluation parameter was explained. The report was then applied by all supervisors during the following semester. Then, an anonymous survey was administered to all supervisors, aiming to study their satisfaction with the use of the report. The vast majority found the report both useful and suitable to their various theoretical orientations in supervision practice. For a few supervisors also, the report induced a research-oriented practice, thus reducing their defensive projections of the supervision difficulties onto the Department or the students. However, the new report proved incapable of deterring boundary violations in the supervision setting. Training of supervisors on assessment and treatment of psychopathology issues is thought to maximise both the educational and clinical/professional merits of the student practice performance evaluation report, for supervisees and clients/service users alike.