New Social Work CPD Initiative
Skills for Care, the adult social care workforce development body, will showcase its new continuing professional development (CPD) suite of products at the National Children and Adult Services Conference on October 19th at the Brighton Hilton.
The products are designed to help people implement best practice in continuous professional development of workers within their own organisations, and also enable registered social care workers to meet the Post Registration Teaching and Learning (PRTL) requirement of their post.
The new CPD strategy has been developed by Skills for Care with the Children’s Workforce Development Council (CWDC) and other partner agencies. It is to enable all those working in social care to reach their full potential and supports flexible career pathways leading to a range of opportunities sector-wide.
Skills for Care CEO Andrea Rowe said: “People who use social care services have often told us that their care is only as good as the person delivering it. The new CPD strategy aims to move organisations towards a learning culture, where the workforce develops the right human qualities alongside their qualifications. Skills for Care clearly sets out the necessary standards of skills and qualifications to enable social care workers to develop their roles and keep their practice up to date. A workforce that is well trained and motivated, with appropriate values and behaviours, is crucial to delivering quality social care services in a changing environment.”
The suite of new products for employers includes an executive summary and full strategy, a framework document and an employer’s guide. The documents are free to download from the Skills for Care website, or can be purchased as a set of booklets at the cost price of £7.50 including postage and packing. There is also a DVD demonstrating the benefits of CPD for employers and staff that will be circulated to major social care organisations, with a limited number available free from Skills for Care.
Materials can be ordered from Skills for Care’s bookshop on 0870 770 2469 or order online at www.skillsforcarepublications.org.uk. Alternatively, cheques made payable to Social Care Association (Education) can be sent to Skills for Care Publications, c/o Social Care Association, Thornton House, Hook Rd, Surbiton, Surrey KT6 5AN.
Workers are encouraged to share the responsibility for developing their skills with their employers who need to provide learning opportunities for staff. CPD is for all social care workers, paid and unpaid, and their employers, including those with existing professional qualifications and those who do not yet hold any qualifications.
