Field education: Off-site social work supervision in rural, regional and remote Australia

The practicum has long been acknowledged as a memorable aspect of a student's professional learning in social work education. In rural, regional and remote settings, the opportunities for such learning can be limited as agencies may be operating in a climate of considerable economic constraint and staffing difficulties. In response to the demand for social work placements in these areas, universities often place students in agencies where no social worker is employed and, as a consequence, require an off-site social work supervisor to support the student on placement. This paper reflects on off-site social work student supervision in rural Australia, considers the functions of this form of supervision, and the benefits and challenges for the supervisor. It outlines the findings from a co-operative inquiry, recommending clear contracting of roles and expectations in the initial stages.