The National Framework for Child Protection Learning and Development Scotland (2012) has been developed to support those who are responsible for the learning and development needs of the multi-agency workforce, to help them protect children and young people from risk of harm.

In order to ensure the workforce can help improve the lives of children, young people and families, managers must be aware of individual skills, knowledge, understanding and values.  The National Framework sets out the core skills and competences for staff (paid and unpaid) who have direct and indirect contact with children.

These skills and competencies should be considered alongside the Lanarkshire core competency framework that has been developed as part of the implementation of Getting it Right for Every Child in Lanarkshire. The aim is to work towards consistent, high standards of practice across the children’s services workforce underpinned by a core set of competencies.  The core set of five competencies are:

• Assessment planning and review
• Child development
• Building relationships with parents and partners
• Communicating with children and young people
• Understanding adversity and vulnerability

Child protection and workforce development is an essential part of continuous improvement. The individual learning and development needs of each worker should be considered within a personal learning plan, and reviewed to take account of all previous training and learning.

Learning and development does not always mean formal learning opportunities. There are other options for developing a workforce that has all skills they need for practice. These can include: work-based learning; e-learning; reflective learning; critical reflection; peer review; supervision and action learning.

The CPC  has produced guidance  for managers and staff (paid or unpaid) about how the  child protection learning and development programme should be considered  and outlines a range of child care and protection learning events and programmes being offered on a multi-agency basis by the Child Protection Committee in South Lanarkshire.  

It acknowledges that people will have different skill sets, knowledge and responsibilities depending on their role, and will therefore have different learning and development needs. Managers should ensure staff (paid or unpaid) fully understand their roles and identify the learning and development needs of the workforce, ensuring they have the skills and competences they need for practice.

In line with the national framework there are three overall ‘workforces’ identified that clearly link to competent practice namely:

• The Wider Workforce 
• The Specific Workforce
• The Specialist Workforce