Clinical Supervision and the Helping Professions: An Interpretation of History

Abstract

The published literature on clinical supervision in relation to the helping professions, particularly nursing, has been essentially contained to the past two decades and has largely rested at the level of description. This article traces the origins back to the pioneering charity work of European and North American social reformers of the eighteenth century. Historical documents are reviewed to posit a discussion of the historical development of clinical supervision, linked across continents and within and among helping professions and human service agencies, to establish a contemporary international relevance for the associated professions and to help establish a convincing evidence base for practice.