Today, let’s talk about something incredibly vital for us as social workers: supervision. Not just any supervision, mind you. We’re delving into how we can sharpen our helicopter skills using a robust four-layered supervision model.
This approach helps us gain a crucial bird’s-eye view of our practice. It’s about seeing the bigger picture. We all know how easy it is to get caught up in the daily grind. The pressures of caseloads and targets are immense. This makes true reflection a challenge. But supervision offers that space. It’s where we can pause and truly unpack our work.
For me, early in my career, I often felt like I was perpetually in the weeds. I’d be so immersed in individual client situations. It was hard to step back. I longed for that ‘helicopter view’. That ability to see the dynamics at play from a distance. To understand the wider system. That’s where the idea of developing your helicopter skills with a four-layered supervision model really clicked for me.
What Exactly Are ‘Helicopter Skills’?
You might be wondering, what are these ‘helicopter skills’ I keep mentioning? As Hawkins and Shohet (2012) explains that it is a supervisor’s ability to be fully present with a client. Truly immersed in the session. Yet, at the very same time, holding an overview. It’s about seeing the present content and process. But also seeing it within a much wider context. This includes the organisational, professional, social, cultural, and political context. It’s a remarkable balance. It helps you grasp the intricate connections.
Imagine being in the middle of a complex family session. You’re deeply empathetic. You’re connecting with each person’s emotions. You’re hearing their stories. That’s being ‘fully present’. Now, imagine simultaneously seeing the family dynamics. Understanding the agency’s policies impacting them. Recognising wider societal inequalities. All influencing their situation. That’s the ‘helicopter view’ in action. It allows for a more holistic, informed intervention. It lets you transcend immediate challenges.
Why These Skills Matter for Us
In social work, we’re often dealing with deeply personal, intricate situations. Our clients’ lives are shaped by many factors. Factors well beyond their immediate issues. Neoliberal pressures, for instance, often push us towards meeting targets. They can sometimes overshadow the quality of our professional relationships. This is where a wider perspective becomes absolutely crucial. It helps us navigate these complexities. It ensures we don’t lose sight of the bigger picture. The picture of social justice. The picture of wider environmental influences.
I remember a time when I was struggling with a particularly challenging case. My supervisee was feeling overwhelmed. They couldn’t see a way forward. It was like they were drowning in the details. They were focused solely on the immediate crisis. During our supervision session, we used a reflective approach.
We deliberately stepped back. We looked at the family’s situation. But we also looked at the systemic factors. We considered the housing crisis. We thought about access to mental health services. We even thought about generational trauma. Suddenly, a new pathway emerged. Not just for the client. But also, for my supervisee. They could see how their intervention connected to broader advocacy. That’s the power of the helicopter skill. It’s about seeing the forest for the trees.
The Four-Layered Supervision Model: Our Compass
The four-layered practice model of reflective supervision, as conceptualized by Rankine (2012), is a powerful framework. It helps us critically reflect on our practice. It connects us to various intersecting layers. These layers are essential for exploration. They help us understand the interrelationship. The relationship between ourselves as social workers. The organisation we work within. Our service users and other professionals. And the wider environmental context that influences practice.
This model is more than just a theoretical concept. It’s a practical guide. It helps both supervisee and supervisor. It guides them in critical reflection. The supervisee brings their agenda. The supervisor facilitates deep analysis. They inquire and support the development of inclusive strategies. It’s truly a co-constructed partnership.
Let’s break down these four crucial layers. Understanding each one helps us develop our helicopter skills. It provides the framework for a comprehensive view.
Layer 1: The Social Worker (You!)
This first layer is all about you, the practitioner. It’s about your knowledge. Your experiences. Your emotions. Your values. When I first started out, I thought supervision was just about my cases. I didn’t realise how much of me was in the work. And how much of the work was in me.
This layer focuses on self-awareness. It helps us explore our reactions and responses to clients. How our own biases might play a role. It’s about understanding our professional identity.
Think about a time you felt really challenged by a client. Perhaps they reminded you of someone. Or their situation triggered your own anxieties. If we don’t explore these feelings, they can impact our work. This layer of the model encourages us to bring those personal reactions into supervision. It’s a safe space to unpack them. To understand how they might be shaping our practice. This self-reflection is foundational. It’s the starting point for developing that broader view. Because you can’t see the whole system clearly if your own lens is clouded.
The ‘resourcing function’ of supervision, as highlighted by authors like Hawkins and Shohet, ties in perfectly here. It’s about dealing with the emotional impact of our work. Preventing burnout. We are constantly exposed to distress and pain. Without a space to process this, we become less effective. This layer helps us wash off the ‘grime of the work’. It supports our well-being. And a well-resourced social worker is better equipped to take that helicopter view.
Layer 2: The Organisation and Relationships with Others
The second layer expands our focus. It brings in the organisation. It also includes our relationships with colleagues, managers, and other professionals. Social work doesn’t happen in a vacuum. We operate within systems. These systems have their own rules. They have their own cultures. Often, these are shaped by neoliberal agendas. Agendas that prioritise targets over relationships.
This layer helps us critically examine power relationships. Relationships within and between agencies. It allows us to understand organisational commitments. How they impact our practice. I recall a period when our agency restructured. It created immense pressure. My team felt it acutely. During supervision, we discussed the new policies. We explored how they were affecting our autonomy. We talked about how they were influencing client outcomes. This wasn’t just venting. It was critical reflection. It helped us understand the ‘why’ behind the changes. It helped us find ways to navigate the new landscape. And advocate where necessary.
The ‘normative’ or ‘qualitative’ function of supervision is relevant here. It ensures we uphold professional and ethical standards. It helps us align our practice with agency policies. This layer ensures accountability. It safeguards the quality of service. It also includes the ‘managerial’ function. This is about meeting organisational requirements. It’s about ensuring effectiveness and efficiency. But it’s done through critical reflection, not just compliance.
Layer 3: Service Users and Professionals
Now, we move to the heart of our work: our service users. This layer encourages deep reflection on the client relationship itself. It’s about understanding the client better. Exploring the dynamics of our interactions with them. And critically examining our interventions. It’s also about our relationships with other professionals involved in the client’s care.
I’ve seen many supervisees struggle to move beyond a surface-level understanding of their clients. They focus on the presenting problem. But fail to delve into the underlying issues. Or the systemic context. This layer prompts us to ask deeper questions. What’s going on for the client beyond the immediate issue? How are their cultural backgrounds influencing their situation? What external factors are at play? It’s about seeing the client not in isolation. But as part of a complex web.
For example, if a client is missing appointments. Rather than just labelling them as ‘unmotivated’. This layer encourages us to look deeper. Are there transport issues? Is there a language barrier? Are they facing discrimination? This kind of reflection fosters culturally sensitive practice. It promotes anti-oppressive approaches. It’s about truly understanding the client’s world. This is fundamental to developing helicopter skills. You can’t gain an overview if you only see one small piece of the puzzle.
Layer 4: The Wider Environmental Context
This final layer is perhaps the most crucial for developing true helicopter skills. It demands we examine the wider socio-political and socio-cultural environment. This includes broad societal structures. The omnipresence of power. Policies. Laws. Cultural norms. All influencing individuals and relationships. This is where critical reflection truly shines.
In Aotearoa New Zealand, we have a strong professional commitment. A commitment to bi-cultural practice. To working with Māori. This layer compels us to consider how dominant Western Pākehā practices impact our work. How they might unintentionally disadvantage certain groups. It pushes us to think about social justice issues. And to promote alternative strategies of action.
I remember a supervisee sharing a case. They felt they had done everything by the book. Yet, the outcome wasn’t good for the whānau involved. We used this layer in supervision. We explored the wider context. We looked at historical policies. We discussed systemic racism within institutions. The conversation shifted. It moved beyond individual blame. It opened up a critical understanding. An understanding of how macro factors deeply affected this whānau. This broader lens, this helicopter view, is essential. It enables us to challenge oppressive structures. To advocate for systemic change. Rather than just managing symptoms.
Bringing It All Together: Your Helicopter View in Action
The beauty of the four-layered model is its interconnectedness. These aren’t isolated silos. They constantly influence each other. Your personal experiences (Layer 1) shape how you perceive organisational policies (Layer 2). These policies, in turn, affect your interactions with service users (Layer 3). And all of this is nested within the wider societal context (Layer 4).
By consciously moving through these layers in supervision, you develop a dynamic, multifaceted understanding. You start to see patterns. You identify systemic barriers. You connect individual struggles to broader injustices. This is the essence of developing your helicopter skills. It’s about seeing the whole landscape, not just the small patch of ground directly beneath you.
Reflective supervision, specifically, offers this space. It moves beyond mere accountability. It’s about deep learning. It allows for transformative changes in thinking. It’s a co-constructed partnership between you and your supervisor. You bring the agenda. Your supervisor facilitates the critical inquiry.
As social workers, we must remain committed to our ethics and values. We must continually develop our skills. This four-layered model isn’t just an academic concept. It’s a practical tool. It’s a way to ensure our practice remains ethical. That it remains responsive. That it remains impactful. For our clients. For our communities. And for ourselves.
Final Thoughts: Embracing the Horizon
So, there you have it. Developing your helicopter skills with a four-layered supervision model is a journey. It’s not a destination. It’s an ongoing process of learning and growth. It’s about constantly expanding your perspective. Stepping back. Seeing the full picture. As social workers in Aotearoa, we are committed to making a real difference. And to do that effectively, we need to be able to see both the details and the broader landscape. I encourage you to embrace this model. Use it to deepen your practice. Use it to empower yourself. And use it to truly serve our communities in a more holistic way.
Hawkins, P., & Shohet, R. (2012). Supervision in the Helping Professions. McGraw-Hill Education.
O’Donoghue, K., & Engelbrecht, L. K. (Eds.). (2021). The Routledge international handbook of social work supervision. Routledge.
Rankine, M. (2017). Making the connections: A practice model for reflective supervision. Aotearoa New Zealand Social Work, 29(3), 66–78. https://doi.org/10.11157/anzswj-vol29iss3id377
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