MULTICULTURAL ASPECTS OF SUPERVISION: CONSIDERATIONS FOR SOUTH AFRICAN SUPERVISORS IN THE HELPING PROFESSIONS

Abstract

Clinical supervision in psychology and social work is challenged with addressing the various cultural, social and political factors that affect therapeutic and supervisory relationships. In the context of present-day South Africa with its emphasis on recruiting supervisees into the helping professions from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds, questions of race, ethnicity and culture in clinical supervision have become of considerable importance. This paper examines the literature pertinent to supervision and presents a theoretical framework for conceptualising the multicultural development of supervisors and supervisees with a specific emphasis on the South African context. It highlights some of the potential problems that might arise in supervisory relationships in which the supervisor and supervisee are racially disparate and outlines recommendations for clinicians to consider in their practice. Most of the research on inter-racial clinical supervision has been conducted in the United States and other countries where multiculturalism is part of the national landscape. This article uses this international literature and applies it to the present post-apartheid contex.