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Contents

1. Introduction
2. Context
3. The Training and Development Process
4. Personal Development Portfolio
5. Equal Opportunities

1. Introduction

Taken from Centre's Key Principles:

'Children have the right to be educated and cared for by staff who are qualified and trained to a high standard, and who are committed to professional growth'.

'All employees have the right to work in an organisation, which promotes their learning and development and creates equal opportunities for professional enhancement'.

The Centre's process of development, is linked to both the Centre's aims and objectives, key principles, procedures and policy and the Local Authority objectives, procedures and policy'.

2. Context

The scheme is based on the premise that training and development opportunities should be linked to tasks and goals. Each person will complete a training profile and this will be the starting point for subsequent discussions around learning needs.

The profile will be reviewed regularly to ensure that it reflects changes in legislation, practice and procedures.

Each member of staff will be required to complete a sheet which requires information about Child Protection & Health and safety training and their understanding of the local safeguarding procedures.

3. The Training and Development Process

Line managers will set aside one supervision session during the appraisal/supervision cycle in order to discuss individual learning needs and how these fit into their service area. The outcome of this discussion will be recorded onto their 'Personal training & development record and action plan'. (Section 1. Identifying Learning Needs, Section 2. Recording Learning Needs.)

Half termly training monitoring sheets to be completed and given to the administrative officer responsible for the data, who will enter the information on to the Training Data base. This will enhance the monitoring of training needs across the Centre.

Line manager and Staff member will consider:

• How urgent is the need
• What method is most appropriate
• Who will be responsible for planning to meet need
• How will information learned be shared with team members?

Where does training and development fit into cycle?

The PT&D record should be reviewed at least once during the year.

4. Personal Development Portfolio

The Centre supports continuous professional development to assist each individual to achieve their potential within their post. Individuals are expected to take significant responsibility for their own learning. As part of this responsibility they are expected to participate in planning their personal learning and to take full advantage of opportunities provided. A file will be provided to enable staff to record their development and training to create an ongoing portfolio.

Portfolio is a collection of information that is used to prove to employers, potential employers, colleges, managers etc,

• What the individual knows
• What the individual is able to do
• How the individual works, what values and attitudes are held.

A personal development portfolio contains evidence of learning. Such evidence does not consist of just course certificates, but may include a variety of items that, with the addition of a short explanation demonstrate development.

The Portfolio should have a Front sheet giving information about formal qualifications, length of service, special responsibilities.

It should also include:

Copies of appraisals/ PM, PD & T plans & reviews, supervision notes, Reports or work documents which demonstrates learning in practice.

5. Equal Opportunities

The Children's Centre is committed to inclusion, fairness and equality.

Every employee is entitled to a fair and non-discriminatory process of professional development, which will be based on learning needs. The Governing body is committed to ensuring that the Head of Centre, operates a system which does not discriminate against:

• Race
• Age
• Religion
• Culture
• Gender
• Background
• Part time / full time workers
• Trade Union representatives

Training needs will be identified through the processes identified in this policy and this will be the criteria used to allocate funding for training and development. Naturally the centre's budget may not support all the required training needs and where competing needs arise, the allocation of funds will be assessed taking into account such things as, length of service, amount of funding already allocated to the individual or service area, service and individual needs. Efforts will also be made to try and secure funding from other sources.

The Centre's training budget is not sufficient to be able to support extended higher qualification training, however, support will be given in finding alternative sources of funding and through providing time off for study days and also mentoring support where required.

End