| his dissertation presents the results of a qualitative study on school social work supervision at the Department of Education in Puerto Rico. School Social Work has the potential for structural, social, and personal transformation. Social workers analyze, interpret, and implement diverse social policies. They have extraordinary opportunities for "...improving the quality of life" and to promote values that contribute "...to justice and social peace" (Departamento de Educacion, Carta Circular ;Supervision is described as one of the relevant aspects of organizational administration. However, the Puerto Rico Department of Education lacks a clear policy regarding the professional supervision of school social workers. The school principal is the administrative supervisor; the district superintendent provides professional development services; no one is in charge of assisting, guiding, and supporting social workers with case planning, designing appropriate interventions, and overall evaluation of professional practice.;This qualitative study was guided by the social construction paradigm (Gergen, 1999; Kisnerman, 2005). Its purpose was to describe diverse supervisory experiences of a group of school social workers (6) and supervisors (4). The persons interviewed were selected utilizing a set of criteria related to the study objectives. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were utilized to gather information. Content analysis techniques, with N-Vivo, facilitated the organization and categorization of the information.;The findings suggest the need to review and amend the policy regarding school social work supervision at the Department of Education of Puerto Rico, including the revision of the Carta Circular... |
