Continuing Professional Development strategy

1 Continuing Professional Development strategy for the social care workforce Parts of the Sector Skills Council Skills for Care and Development Endorsed by: Continuing Professional Development strategy for the social care workforce Developed and written by Fran McDonnell and Harry Zutshi, to a commission from Skills for Care. This strategy has been approved for use by social care employers by the boards of Skills for Care and the Children s Workforce Development Council, which are England s parts of Skills for Care and Development , the sector skills council for social care, children and young people. strategy for Continuing Professional Development 3 Foreword I am very pleased to introduce the strategy for Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for the social care sector. Ever since workforce issues began to be approached strategically as part of the modernisation of social care, all those involved have known that the Continuing Development of the sector s workers beyond their induction and initial training is an area of crucial importance for social care organisations and their staff, and for people using the services.

2 This has been noted in successive white papers, green papers and training strategies, in both children s and adults services, and in policy Development concurrent with the publication of this strategy . The strategy defines CPD as an ongoing, planned learning and Development process that contributes to work-based and personal Development . As the process that enables workers to expand and fulfil their potential, it ensures Continuing confidence and competence, particularly in ever-changing environments. Competence means that people have the relevant skills, knowledge, understanding and attributes to do a particular job in a particular context to an agreed standard. And that means better quality experiences for people who use social care services. This CPD strategy applies to the whole social care workforce, across all its organisations and settings.

3 It applies to all workers and managers in social care, including social workers, and encompasses all types of learning at all levels. It includes, but is more than, training , qualifications , registration , and post-registration training and learning . It reflects a social Development model, which values and promotes greater recognition of all work and roles within social care, paid and unpaid, and which enables flexible career pathways. Social care employers increasingly have to compete to recruit and retain high quality workers, and CPD opportunities are a key reason for any discerning worker s choice of sector or organisation. Having a stable staff group enables continuity of service during periods of change and avoids the spiral of low morale in which staff churn affects workers self-worth and quality of service.

4 Offering the right CPD is therefore key to attracting and keeping staff, and helping them value the work they are doing a principal reason for being a social care worker, according to Skills for Care s research. I am pleased to thank a number of people who have contributed to this strategy , particularly the members of the task and finish group who are listed in appendix 1, and all those across the sector who responded to consultations as we progressed. The work began under the auspices of Topss England, and with the advent of social care s sector skills council it continued under the dual identities of Skills for Care and the Children s Workforce Development Council, the employer-led boards of both of which have formally adopted this strategy for the social care workforce. In addition, a number of bodies who contributed to the work have kindly agreed to formally endorse the strategy , to reinforce its status as the foundation document for CPD in social care.

5 Much of the painstaking research and compilation of the documents has been done by Fran McDonnell and Harry Zutshi, commissioned under the project management of Amanda Hatton as the programme head for CPD on Skills for Care s staff, and with the assistance of a number of Amanda s colleagues there and at CWDC. Continues strategy for Continuing Professional Development 4 While all these people can be proud of their contributions, their work is now dependent on implementation by social care employers, managers and workers if it is to be of any benefit to people who use social care services. I would therefore commend this strategy and its supporting documents to the whole of the sector. Skills for Care and the Children s Workforce Development Council will continue to support employers and workers to turn the present documents and planned further guides into practical action.

6 Bridget Robb Chair, CPD Task & Finish group Board Member, Skills for Care Board Member, Children s Workforce Development Council strategy for Continuing Professional Development 5 Section Contents Page Executive summary 7 1 Introduction 11 2 Who is the CPD strategy for? 13 3 What is CPD? 14 4 Aims and objectives of the CPD strategy 15 5 Policy drivers and context 17 6 National Framework for Achievement 24 7 Recruitment.

7 Retention and career pathways 26 8 Whole systems model for implementing CPD 29 9 Implementation of the CPD strategy 31 Appendix 1 Participants in the Development of the strategy 35 Appendix 2 National white papers, consultation papers 37 and guidance Appendix 3 Funding and resources 38 Appendix 4 Social care workforce data 41 References & websites 42 See also the related publications: The CPD framework The employer s guide to the CPD strategy and framework The CPD video on DVD In due course, further CPD guidance will be published.

8 Details will be available at and strategy for Continuing Professional Development 6 Continuing Professional Development strategy for the social care workforce Published by Skills for Care and the Children s Workforce Development Council, which are England s parts of Skills for Care and Development , the employer-led and DfES-licensed sector skills council for social care, children and young people. Skills for Care, 2006 Skills for Care, Albion Court, 5 Albion Place, Leeds LS1 6JL Skills for Care exercises this copyright on behalf of itself and the Children s Workforce Development Council. This document may be copied for non-commercial distribution to aid workforce Development in social care. strategy for Continuing Professional Development 7 Executive summary Introduction Skills for Care, the Children s Workforce Development Council (CWDC) and partner agencies have developed a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) strategy and framework.

9 The strategy is for all employers and all workers in the social care sector. The CPD strategy outcomes are to: improve services from the perspective of people who use services ensure organisations meet relevant requirements value workers by improving their competence, confidence and self-esteem develop a qualified workforce change from a training culture to a learning culture in organisations improve recruitment and retention of workers in the sector ensure workers meet requirements for registration and re-registration. The strategy is targeted at: senior and strategic managers across the wide range of social care organisations policy makers and commissioners people with responsibility for workforce Development providers of learning and training. The CPD framework is intended to support employers in social care to implement the strategy through: shared understanding of CPD within the current social care context a model for developing a consistent and coherent approach to CPD systems and processes for implementing CPD exemplars for career pathways.

10 The CPD strategy A CPD strategy is essential for service improvement and good people management. CPD applies to the whole workforce, including carers (such as family and friends) and volunteers. CPD is a shared responsibility, as described in the General Social Care Council s (GSCC) Codes of Practice for employers and workers. Employers must actively provide learning opportunities for the worker to strengthen and develop skills and knowledge. Individual workers have responsibility for maintaining and improving their knowledge and skills. When people work independently or outside an organisation, they are responsible for their own learning and CPD. CPD can be defined as an on-going, planned learning and Development process, which: enables workers to expand and fulfil their potential contributes to work-based and personal Development can be applied or assessed against competences and organisational performance includes any activity that increases knowledge, experience and understanding, improves performance and contributes to lifelong learning.