The role of continuing professional development for workers in the children’s care, learning and development sector

The role of continuing professional development for workers in the Children’s Care, Learning and Development sector It is important that early years provision is of a consistently high standard, and that providers continually look for ways to improve the quality of the learning, development and care they offer. CPD is an acronym for Continuing (or Continuous) Professional Development. It is a type of learning that you undertake which increases your knowledge, understanding and experiences of a subject area or role.

CPD is an ongoing and planned learning and development process. It focuses on what you learn and how you develop but may include a formal process of recording it (through supervision, submission of assignments etc. ). Examples of CPD include: Work based learning (either through supervision, training courses, job-shadowing, mentoring or coaching). Qualifications. Informal or experiential learning (which takes place through life and work experience). Reflective thinking based on planned and unplanned experiences.

Peer mentoring or job-shadowing. CPD is important as it gives you new knowledge that may help you to deal with new or complex situations. CPD can help you achieve your career goals by focusing on learning and development. It will give you confidence in your role and will demonstrate your commitment to developing your skills and knowledge in a subject area. CPD is everyone’s responsibility. If you work within an organisation then there is a shared responsibility between yourself and your manager to empower and support your staff to develop.

If you work independently or employed directly by the people using a service then CPD is your responsibility. The majority of courses are fully funded by the setting however a charge applies to some. Also 48 hours’ notice must be given if cancelling a place on a course. Failure to do so may result in the course cost being charged. Training is held on a range of dates during each term which can be found in the setting (staffroom) or online, they are held in a variety of settings.