Considering a career in care? It’s time to get familiar with CPD. Find out what CPD stands for, why it matters and what actually constitutes CPD in social care in our quick guide.
We’ll also explain how to prioritise CPD activities that align closely with your career goals, where to find quality CPD, and how to record it.
Let’s dive right in.
What is CPD?
Continuing Professional Development, or CPD, refers to the ongoing learning you complete to develop your skills and knowledge throughout your career in care.
Unlike a traditional qualification or degree, CPD isn’t directly ‘awarded’ but documented as evidence of your ongoing professional development.
You’ll be expected to undertake and log a certain amount of CPD to demonstrate to your employer and regulatory body that you’re keeping your skills and knowledge up to date.
Why does CPD matter in social care?
Many industries require or encourage CPD, including education, finance, law, IT and construction.
CPD enables individuals to deepen knowledge in their field, build confidence, improve their job performance and open doors to new opportunities.
Here’s just some of the ways it can benefit professionals working in the care sector specifically:
Improved quality of care
CPD enables you to develop your skills and knowledge, and stay on top of the latest policies, legislations and best practices, so you can provide the very best (and most up to date) care.
Job satisfaction
By keeping your skills up to date and broadening your knowledge, you can care with greater confidence and feel more prepared to handle challenging situations. You may also unlock opportunities to take on additional responsibilities, and discover specialisms of interest.
Career progression
CPD can open doors to new career opportunities and promotions within the care sector. Demonstrating that you’ve invested the time to enhance your skills through CPD highlights your commitment to providing high-quality care, and shows that you’re motivated and proactive – two highly attractive and sought after attributes in care.
What are examples of CPD in the care sector?
While specific CPD requirements may vary depending on your role, employer and regulatory body, here are some examples of CPD activities:
- Completing formal training
- Completing eLearning
- Attaining qualifications
- Getting involved in workshops and seminars
- Attending lectures, conferences and webinars
- On-the-job learning
- Observing and shadowing experienced colleagues
- Mentoring from experienced professionals
- Volunteering
- Reading relevant journals, books and articles
- Discussing experiences with colleagues
- Reflecting on your experiences.
While not comprehensive, this list demonstrates just how varied the opportunities to acquire CPD are. If you’re in any doubt what constitutes CPD for you, speak to your manager or regulatory body.
How can I find CPD opportunities?
Aim for a good mix of formal and informal activities, and a range of different types of learning. Consider what activities are likely to have the biggest impact on your skills, knowledge and abilities, and prioritise these.
Consider whether there are any gaps in your skill set or knowledge right now, or if there’s a specific area you’d like to have an awareness of or specialise in. Is there a particular task you feel less confident doing? What would you like to do more of?
Speak to your colleagues to see if there’s any CPD activities they recommend, and ask your manager to suggest activities that play to your strengths or areas for improvement, and those that will help you develop in-demand skills (aside from the mandatory training already expected of you).
Look out for courses, webinars, podcasts and events that are CPD accredited. If you’re unsure, you can visit The CPD Register to verify accreditation.
Here at FuturU, the vast majority of our social care courses are CPD accredited. To check if a course is CPD accredited, simply enrol in it and look out for the CPD logo on the introduction page. Once you’ve completed a course with us, you’ll be able to download a certificate to add to your CPD record.
How do I record CPD training?
It’s really important that you keep a record of all the CPD activities you complete, updating your record on a regular and ongoing basis. That’s because this record acts as evidence of the progress you’re making towards your professional development.
Your record is entirely personal to you, so it’s up to you how you’d like to log CPD activities. You may choose to create a folder of physical evidence (e.g. certificates and notes) or save documents electronically. Online tools are also available to help you maintain your CPD record.
Include the following information for each CPD activity you log:
- The date you completed the activity
- The total number of hours spent on the activity
- A short description of what you did and the learning outcomes
- A reflection on what you’ve learned – think about how you will apply what you’ve learned to your role
- Evidence of your participation – for example, a certificate or other documentation.
Can I use CPD to boost my career prospects in care?
Absolutely! CPD can significantly boost your career prospects in the care sector. Completing CPD activities like eLearning can demonstrate your specialist skills, knowledge and competence in everything from dementia care, mental health support and end-of-life care, through to communication, legal frameworks and leadership.
CPD highlights your commitment to continuous learning, and to providing the very best quality care to those relying on your support. What more could a potential employer want?
As mentioned previously, focus on CPD activities that are aligned with your career goals, and prioritise training that can help you develop in-demand skills. Keep your CPD record up to date, and use it to strengthen your CV when applying for new roles.
Build your CPD portfolio with FuturU
Access our library of 100+ social care courses to earn CPD credits, anytime and anywhere. And the best part? FuturU is entirely free for learners!
