Professional learning is an ongoing process of developing and maintaining the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to be both competent and successful within one’s role and career.
Beyond achieving the necessary initial qualifications, professional learning is a career-long process that supports individuals to remain up-to-date on current practice, maintain excellent standards, and provide the highest quality of service to those within their care.
The SSSC encourages all social service workers to be creative and flexible in their approach to professional learning. The most important thing is to choose learning activities that are relevant and meaningful to your practice.
Professional learning can include:
Certificated Learning: Qualifications, academic modules, SVQ units, HNC/HND units, certificates, degrees, and diplomas.
Training Courses: Online learning, online Modules, webinars, workshops, and courses developed and delivered by Fife Council or other professional organisations.
Group Learning: Team meetings where learning activities take place, group supervision, learning discussions, and professional networking.
Reflective Learning: Discussions with your line manager, mentors, or colleagues that support reflection on your learning and any changes you have made to practice.
Reading & Listening: Documentation, books, professional journals, podcasts, online resources and articles.
Video: Watching programmes, interviews and documentaries that are related to your field of work, or provide insights and information around practice.
Supporting Others: Mentoring, supporting other’s learning, inductions, and delivering training.
Organisational Learning: Learning about your organisation through reading guidance, policy and procedures surrounding expected standards.
In order to maintain SSSC registration, you have a responsibility to maintain and continue to develop your professional knowledge and skills by participating in relevant learning.
Your employer also plays a part in supporting you to do so by providing relevant learning and development opportunities that can help strengthen your skills and knowledge.
Continuous Professional Learning (CPL) is as important as your formal practice qualification.
SSSC Codes of Practice
As a practitioner in the Day Care of Children’s Services, you are required to complete a minimum of 60 hours or 10 days of professional learning over your 5-year registration period. 1 day is equal to 6 hours.
It is expected that these hours will be spread over each year of the registration period so that CPL is routinely embedded within practice.
National Standards for ELC
1.4 – “All SSSC registered staff in the setting are achieving a minimum of 12 hours per year of Continuous Professional Learning.”
– Scottish Government – A Blueprint for 2020 (2018:15).
The SSSC launched their new continuous professional learning (CPL) requirements in November 2020 to provide clear expectations for continuous professional development for the social service workforce. This includes a new approach to recording, submitting and monitoring Post Registration Training and Learning (PRTL).
You are responsible for logging your own professional learning. You may be asked and we strongly encourage you to share your learning with other practitioners and lead development for maximum impact in the setting. External scrutiny from Care Inspection and HMIE inspectors will look for the impact of any training undertaken by practitioners and will have the expectation that staff will engage in discussion about their training and the difference it has made.
TURAS
An NHS Scotland website offering a range of educational resources that provide guidance and support to enhance ongoing Professional Development. Sign-up and create an account for free here.
SSSC CPL Directory
The directory supports the ELC workforce with professional development by listing training providers offering flexible and part-time learning opportunities. Access here.
Additionally, a series of online modules focused on key ELC topics can be accessed here.
