Service Users in Social Work Student Supervision: A Scoping Review

While the participation of service users in social work education and practice has gained momentum recently, little attention has been paid to the implications for student supervision in field education or practice learning. This scoping review examines the nature of, and extent to which, international literature recognises service users in social work student supervision. Sixty-seven relevant abstracts that potentially linked service users to social work student supervision were identified from five databases. After review, 25 full-text articles were examined. Of these, none were found to identify practices that integrate service user perspectives into social work student supervision, although some identified participation of service users in other components of field education in areas such as the provision of mentoring or feedback. The results suggest that the ways in which service users are constructed and positioned in field education supervision require further development in order to align with contemporary policy and practice. IMPLICATIONS Service users are not overtly acknowledged as central stakeholders in social work student supervision and this omission needs exploration. The positioning of service users through the use of social workers’ language and professional power requires examination in the context of Australian social work field education. In relation to the participation of service users, a cultural shift is required so that students are provided with consistency between education and practice standards.