Holistic/Direct Observation/Witness Statement Professional Discussion/Oral Questioning Record

Training Adviser Name: Liz Etherton

Learner Name: Ian Wright

Witness Name and relationship to learner:

Setting: Little Hayes Care Home
Date: 06/06/2015
Unit Outcomes & Evidence
Unit 502 (SHC52)

Outcome1.1
Explain the importance of continually improving knowledge and practice

Professional development is a planned process you are supported to improve skills and knowledge through careful neutering and guidance. Professional development will not only support yourself but will benefit your employer and team members, the benefits of professional development can include:-

• Moral and the feeling of being valued • The sharing of new legislation, guidelines and good practices • Sharing of skills • Increased positivity of the company and what the services offer • The ability to learn and gain new skills through support and training • More potential of gaining promotions within the organisation • Safe working practices

Professional development is a major part of managing staff and a Care Home, professional development is a process which evidences the service and staffs skills and issues, professional development must be a proactive, forward thinking process which holds great benefits to all. Care Homes are generally service focussed rather than product driven, this means that the people who work within the Care Home tend to determine the Care Home success. The Care Homes success is importantly linked to capabilities and attitudes of the staff and the development and enhancement of knowledge and skills. Professional development can, therefore be said to be an essential component of a Care Home success.

The Care Home can be supported by the professional development of the staff, in turn the services will be able to meet the challenges within the Care Home. Professional development enables the Care Home to keep up to date and change proactively so that services are relevant and appropriate. It is important that to get the most out of investment in professional development, it should be planned in line with the Care Homes vision, and the staff member’s personal vision for their development. It is recognised that organisations who promote personal development within their organisation are best able to respond to day-to-day challenges and pressures and are more capable in being able to respond to complex issues and occurring challenges within their services.

The personal development process should be tailored to an individual’s needs, it should bring about opportunities for individuals to expand their skills and knowledge. Personal development is about continual movement and should give staff opportunities to access training, education and build knowledge and skills in order to give those further employment opportunities and the ability to feel knowledgeable in their area of work. It is important that the Care Home embraces the personal development process and capitalises on the benefits by ensuring that the process is purposeful and planned to meet the individual needs of staff and the Care Home.

If the Care Home and its managers are involved in staff development, it is important that there values are both financial and human. When planning personal professional development it is important to consistently be improving skills and knowledge, so that skills learnt can be passed to staff, it is important to concentrate on the desired outcomes of activities so that the activities meet the desired outcomes. Professional development can be achieved through the Care Home by supporting an individual or one to one support through access to education, informal training, and formal training either internal or external to the Care Home. Supporting staff and individuals through the professional development process will increase staff morale and increase the quality of staff performance which will result in