Practice and Professional Development
Practice and professional development is about building the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to provide high-quality support and continually develop throughout your career.
Whether you are new to your role, looking to develop your practice or considering your next career step, there are a range of learning opportunities, resources and development pathways available to support you.
Learning and development is an ongoing journey. By reflecting on practice, sharing knowledge and engaging with learning opportunities, we can strengthen our skills and improve outcomes for the people, families and communities we support.
Practice Learning
Practice learning plays an important role in supporting students, newly qualified workers and experienced practitioners to develop their knowledge and skills.
Information, resources and opportunities to support learning in practice can be found within our Practice Learning Hub, which includes guidance for learners, practice educators and supervisors.
You can also access our Community of Practice to share experiences, learn from colleagues and explore examples of good practice across services.
Newly Qualified Social Workers
Beginning a career in social work can be both exciting and challenging.
Support is available through our Newly Qualified Social Worker Supported Year programme, helping practitioners build confidence, develop professional skills and make the transition into practice.
Developing Professional Practice
Professional practice is strengthened through continuous learning, reflection and collaboration.
We encourage colleagues to explore topics such as person-centred practice, strengths-based approaches, communication, self-directed support and personalisation to help develop knowledge and confidence in their role.
Useful information can be found within our pages on Person-Centred Practice, Self-Directed Support, Personalisation, Talking Mats and Communication Awareness.
Learning Together
Learning is often most effective when we learn with and from others.
Our Community of Practice creates opportunities for people working across health, social care and community services to connect, share ideas and explore challenges together.
We also encourage participation in local learning events, development sessions and workforce initiatives to help strengthen professional networks and promote shared learning.
Tools and Resources
A range of practical resources are available to support learning and professional development.
These include guidance documents, reflective learning materials, toolkits and examples of good practice.
You may find the HSCP Social Work and Social Care Toolkit (password required) particularly useful, alongside resources on Learning Styles, Difficult Discussions Matter and Tools for Improvement.
Continuing Professional Development
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is an important part of maintaining and developing professional knowledge throughout your career.
Learning opportunities can be accessed through courses, qualifications, workplace learning, professional reading, networking opportunities and reflective practice.
You may also find useful learning opportunities through NHS Education for Scotland (NES), Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) and Social Work Scotland.
External Resources
Some interesting videos:- Chimamanda Adiche – The Danger of a Single Story
- Cormac Russell on the value of stories and his technique to tell them
- Author Roman Krznaric - The Power of Outrospection
- Roman Krznaric – Talking about Outrospection/Empathy
- Brene Brown - The power of vulnerability
- Susan Cain’s TED Talk on The Power of Introverts
Iriss is a charitable company that promotes positive outcomes for the people who use Scotland's social services, by enhancing the capacity and capability of the social services workforce, to access and make use of knowledge and research for service innovation and improvement.
Related Learning Areas
You may also be interested in exploring:
- Leadership and Management
- Health and Social Care
- Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
- Qualifications and Development
Need Support?
If you would like support with your professional development, practice learning opportunities or career development, please contact the Learning and Development Team.
Email: HSCPLearning@pkc.gov.uk