There is an increasing expectation for those working in early learning and childcare to undertake Continuing Professional Development, regardless of career level, job role or responsibilities.
CPD is essential in helping individuals and settings to keep skills and knowledge up to date. A structured, practical and methodical approach to learning helps employers keep key staff and develop the skills and knowledge in their organisations to maintain a sustainable and competitive advantage.
Effective CPD provides the reward of greater professional satisfaction. The more practitioners feel this way, the greater the positive impact will be on the ethos in settings and on the profession as a whole.
The SSSC are currently carrying out a review of Post Registration and Learning (PRTL) to develop a new continuous learning standard to provide clear expectations for continuous professional development for the social service workforce. This includes a new approach to recording, submitting and monitoring PRTL as part of wider professional development.
e-Learning Versus Face to Face Training
It is true that online training is more readily available and perhaps more convenient but in terms of efficiently learning, it may not be the best way to go. Face-to-face training is the traditional way and still has its strong foundations embedded into the learning process for many services because of its clear advantages.
Here are some of them:
Networking
Engagement and Focus
Adaptability ‘customized training courses’
Ability to have meaningful discussion and dialogue
Current Challenges facing Early Learning and Childcare Settings
With the introduction of the Scottish Government’s introduction of 1140 hours the changing landscape of Early Learning and Childcare is of a seismic scale.
Competition to settings comes in many forms such as:
o Other services, both private and LA
o Attracting families/children to use your service
o Attracting and retaining high quality staff
o Quality of practice in relation to staff changes/turnover – newly qualified and perhaps less experienced.
Perhaps the greatest challenge facing ELC settings currently is attracting and retaining high quality staff. The market is weighted heavily in favour of the practitioner, with the necessary recruitment of in excess of 11,000 new staff. How would you respond to a prospective employee if they asked this question?
“Why would I choose to work with and for your service?”
Benefits should not only be financial. There should be a culture of respect and value, allowing staff to grow by encouraging and supporting career aspiration. Investment in professionalism and creating a learning community. Does your setting offer an enabling environment, where staff are actively encouraged to be the best they can be? Where staff empower and motivate one another to continue to support and challenge their own practice and that of their setting?
Leaders and managers do not always have time to build and deliver CPD sessions; this takes focused time and effort that would need to be taken from core business time. Outsourcing your training needs is a legitimate option. Please get in touch if you would like to discuss your training needs or would like help to plan a high quality comprehensive CPD programme for your team.
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