Training and Development Guidance Notes

There are many different types of activity that contribute to an individual's personal development, and colleagues are encouraged to consider the range of opportunities available to them.

• Some activities are undertaken with the specific aim of enhancing skills and/or imparting information. Examples of these include attending a seminar or training course, reading, work-shadowing and mentoring;
• Other activities offering the potential for development may arise in the course of normal work activity. Examples of these include being involved in a secondment or project where the individual acquires new skills or knowledge or discussing how to deal with a particular problem with a colleague. In these situations, learning is far greater where the opportunity is identified in advance, with attention drawn to identifying the generic skills or general principles and considering how they may be applied in other similar situations.

Further examples of the type of activities that may be considered developmental are given in Appendix 1a: Types of Activities that may be Considered Developmental, including both those designed or intended for that purpose and those which are integrated with normal work activities.

Where possible, development activities will draw on the knowledge and skills of the Caldecott Foundation colleagues. This has the advantage of allowing advice, guidance and on-the-job training to be given in a way that is directly applicable to the work context, and highly relevant to the post holder. Various people may be involved in supporting the development of others; in particular a person's line manager, Caldecott Foundation colleagues, networking contacts, mentors etc. Development by these means may take many forms, including, for example, one-to-one discussions, seminars, secondments, hands-on demonstrations and coaching.

There are various ways in which a person might learn, for example by listening, reading, observing or seeking feedback. Colleagues are encouraged to recognise the different means by which they learn and make best use of those which suit their own style of learning. Examples of the processes by which people learn are given in Appendix 1b: Processes by which People Learn.

The process of training and development is most effective when each individual takes responsibility for their own learning. This includes taking an active role in planning one's own personal development, undertaking agreed development activities, and evaluating the effectiveness of these. Maintaining a learning log helps individuals recognise what they have learnt and how they applied the outcomes of training and development activity in their work.

Line managers are responsible for implementing the Caldecott Foundation's policy on training and development.

Specifically, their role is to ensure that the training and development needs of their team are identified, taking account of both individuals and groups and that these are appropriately addressed. Line managers have an important part to play in encouraging/facilitating people's involvement in training and development activities, both as participants or organisers, and in providing guidance/feedback with regard to the skills and knowledge required for their current role.

Senior management is responsible for actively encouraging training and development as a means to enable the Caldecott Foundation to meet its business and organisational objectives, and for ensuring that resources are made available for this purpose.

The HR function of all managers has a facilitation role in relation to training and development. This includes:

• Providing the tools to support training and development (e.g. the performance review process);
• Advising and encouraging individuals and those with line management responsibilities about training and development matters;
• Co-ordinating the delivery of certain training and development activities that are organised centrally;
• Identifying the required allocation of money from the appropriate budget to ensure consistency of allocation for their own team;
• Maintaining records with regard to the development of the Caldecott Foundation's colleagues.

The performance review process is an important part of the Caldecott Foundation's approach to training and development.

It involves a minimum of annual meetings between individuals and their line managers, to discuss and review the post holder's work activities and their personal development, and to plan ahead for the future. The performance review meetings provide the time and space to identify development needs, plan how these should be addressed and evaluate the effectiveness of development activities previously undertaken. The Caldecott Foundation's policy on training and development is, therefore, closely related to that of the performance review process. The policy on the performance review process and accompanying guidance notes provide further details on how this mechanism may be used to support training and development. Also see 4.1.3 below.

An effective induction process is important for settling new colleagues into the Caldecott Foundation, and ensuring the smooth transition of those who move to roles in other departments/teams.

It involves both ensuring that the person has the necessary skills and knowledge to perform their role effectively, and familiarising them with the detail of the work that they will be performing. The line manager is responsible for monitoring the progress of the new colleagues, and for ensuring that any development needs are identified and met.

In order to achieve consistency within the induction process across the Foundation whilst also ensuring that it meets the requirements of each department, employees will be required to complete the induction programme relevant to their post within any statutory guidelines or the first 6 months of their employment. The line manager will be responsible for ensuring employees progress through the programme within the specified timescales and that information required to evidence their progress is documented. A copy of the programme should be kept on each person's personnel file.

The Caldecott Foundation operates a capability policy which means that should an employee lack the knowledge, skill or ability to such an extent that they cannot carry out his/her duties to the standard required, training and development may be provided in an attempt to improve performance.

The capability procedure applies to all Caldecott Foundation employees, including those in any probationary period.

Development needs may be identified at several levels: those that apply to the organisation as a whole, those at a group or team level and those which apply to a particular individual (or group of individuals). Mechanisms are in place to identify training and development needs at each of these levels (as described below), and collectively these are summarised in a Caldecott Foundation training and development plan.

Organisational training and development objectives are identified by the managers and senior management in conjunction with the Quality Improvement Team.  This involves analysing the strategic plan and local operating plans and taking account of external and internal influences that may affect the Caldecott Foundation's performance. An example of organisation wide development needs would be a requirement for more advanced IT skills brought about by a new system, or the need for greater awareness of equal opportunities issues across the Caldecott Foundation.

The Organisation’s training needs will be identified by the Responsible Individual, Quality Improvement , and Learning and Development Leads (Registered Managers, Service Development Manager and the Head of Education) 

At team level, information is gathered from a variety of sources to identify training and development needs common to a group of colleagues. As above, responsibility for this lies with Registered managers, in consultation with senior management. Sources of information used for this purpose are likely to include performance review process documentation (see 4.1.4), discussions with line managers and colleagues - both formal and informal, findings from the three yearly colleagues survey and team plans with regard to existing priorities.

At the level of individuals, the supervision and performance review process is the main vehicle for recognising and planning training and development. Line managers are responsible for ensuring that individual's training needs are appropriately addressed.

The extent to which a training and development activity can be supported by the Caldecott Foundation will depend on a number of factors including:-

• The relevance of the development need to achieving the strategic plan and the development plans for care, education and health;
• Financial costs to the Caldecott Foundation;
• Hidden costs including, for example, the amount of work time required to complete the development activity;
• Any additional cover required and the impact on colleagues
• The amount of development support that it is reasonable for any one member of colleagues to undertake in a given period;
• Availability of funds in the training and development budget;
• Parity with similar applications.

The Caldecott Foundation seeks to ensure that development opportunities are available for all. This principle does not, however, imply an automatic right of individuals to particular development activities or a right to undertake development actions within specified periods of time.

Line managers are responsible for ensuring that the development needs of all colleagues are given fair consideration and that the needs of colleagues employed on a part time or short term basis are addressed equitably.

The budget for training and development is managed by the Service Development Manager and Responsible Individual, and is based on bids and allocation within individual budgets from line managers along with organisation, trustees, group and individual training needs.

Training and development activities required by the Caldecott Foundation will usually take place during work time but may also require the individual to attend outside of normal/contracted hours and recompense may be made e.g. the provision of SEN points within the pay structure. However, some training activities and courses such as The Induction Workbook and Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) will involve study in the participant’s own time.

Where training and development takes place in normal work hours, cover will be arranged where necessary.

Part time colleagues who work additional hours to participate in training and development activities outside of their usual pattern of work (but within normal work hours) will usually be able to agree time off in lieu.

To ensure legal requirements are met and employees have the appropriate knowledge and skills to undertake the task for which they have been employed, all employees will be required to undertake core training as part of the induction process and their continuing employment. The core training programme consists of training in the following areas:

• Safeguarding and Promoting the Welfare of Children;
• Health and Safety (including manual handling, fire awareness and driver safety are for those who drive during the course of their work);

In addition to this, colleagues may be required to undertake other mandatory training dependent on their role. For all new care colleagues working within the houses this will include First Aid, Infection Control, Food Hygiene, the Positive Management of Challenging Behaviour Self- Harm, Sexual Exploitation and Bullying Awareness. It will also include the completion of an Induction Workbook and Level 3 Diploma for Residential Child Care (England).

Completion of the Induction workbook is a prerequisite of passing the probationary period for new care colleagues and an important stepping stone to embarking on the Diploma. The Diploma or equivalent is an essential qualification for Care Workers (Children’s Homes Regulations 2015 32(4)) and opportunities to access this are provided on a regular basis. The Quality Assurance and Training Department will provide colleagues with support and guidance to assist them in achieving this qualification. Failure to successfully complete the Diploma may result in the termination of a care workers contract.

Funding for the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) will be provided by the Foundation. However all colleagues undertaking the qualification will be required to adhere to a Training Agreement (see Employee Training Agreement Procedure and Section 7.2, Funding of Training / Further Qualifications).

For information about equivalent qualifications please see Appendix 1c: Qualification Equivalency Protocol.

Where a member of colleagues wishes to undertake a qualification they or their line manager, should bring this to the attention of the Service Development Manager.

This should be discussed as part of the performance review process and then the individual is asked to complete an application stating how the qualification will benefit their department and the Caldecott Foundation as a whole. They may also be asked to supply further details about the proposed development activity.

The Caldecott Foundation is prepared to consider funding and study/exam leave for completion of a professional qualification, where the individual does not have one. Preference will be given to subject areas relevant to the Caldecott Foundation's work.

The line manager and/or Service Development Manager will be asked to comment on the desirability of a proposed course or qualification taking into account the following criteria:

• Colleagues development that is necessary in order to do a job; or where there is a high level of demonstrated benefit to the Caldecott Foundation;
• Colleagues development where there would be some benefit to the Caldecott Foundation, and where colleagues might be given some support to recognise this; and
• Development that is principally about personal development/interest, where there is little or no direct benefit to the Caldecott Foundation.

Any funding will largely be dependent on the extent of demonstrated benefit to the Caldecott Foundation and will determine whether it could be supported to a greater or lesser extent.

Requests for training and qualifications need to be made separately for each year of study and will be considered by the Chief Executive and other members of Senior Management as required.  . Requests of over £2,000 in total will be considered by the team.

Colleagues will be required to sign a Training Agreement which sets out below repayment guidelines should they leave the Caldecott Foundation:

• If a member of colleagues leaves the Caldecott Foundation's employment (through resignation or dismissal) during the study year or if they fail to complete the study or sit any required examinations within a reasonable timescale the full cost of the funding will be required to be repaid;
• If a member of colleagues leaves the Caldecott Foundation's employment within 0-24 months from the commencement of the training they will be required to repay the total cost of the course. If they leave within 24 -36 months of the commencement of the training they will be required to repay 50% of the total cost of the course;
• If a member of colleagues fails examinations that have been financially funded by the Caldecott Foundation they will be required to fund any exam re-sits and attend any college days or similar in their own time.

Colleagues are expected to inform their line manager and the Service Development Manager of their progress on a regular and ongoing basis and to notify them immediately of any issues affecting the potential completion of their study. A copy of certificates or confirmation of completion of each study year should be forwarded to their line manager

Colleagues are expected to provide their own textbooks and course materials if these are not included as part of the course fee.

A contribution towards time to attend a course and/or course examination fees may be agreed where training is not directly relevant to the individual's job.

Employees may be permitted to take up to 3 days paid leave for the purposes of study or examinations in any year when undertaking long term study funded by the Caldecott Foundation. Any additional time required must be taken as annual leave or unpaid leave.

Where an individual is undertaking a formal qualification primarily in their own time, the Caldecott Foundation will consider applications for paid study and exam leave. The timing and amount of leave allowed for these purposes is at the discretion of the relevant senior manager in consultation with the responsible Individual, Quality Assurance and Training Department individual line manager, and the Caldecott Foundation may impose a maximum on that which may be taken in any 1 year.

An individual who wishes to take study leave should provide their line manager, Senior Manager and Quality Assurance and Training Department with details of the course for which they wish to study and his/her reasons for the application for study leave. Documentary evidence of examination dates or college workshops may be required.

In considering applications, the Senior Manager will need to be reassured that the group can make adequate alternative arrangements for cover etc.

Individual colleagues should maintain records of development activities in which they have been involved in the context of their appraisals and performance management documentation.

Line managers will maintain records of any formal development activities, including any funded courses not contained within any strategic of development plan, and will use this to produce management information with regard to participation, costs and categories of colleagues.

Training and development activities will be evaluated in respect of their effectiveness from both an organisational and a personal perspective. There are several ways in which this can be done.

The performance review process is the primary means of evaluating training and development of all types. The individual and their line manager should use the performance review meeting to evaluate the extent to which agreed development activities have achieved the intended objectives and, where necessary, plan the next steps. Unplanned development opportunities that arise in the course of normal work activity should also be reflected upon in order to identify how this might improve future work activities.

The training and development evaluation form consists of 2 sections. The first is a response to the training or development activity, the second is about action planning in order to implement training. The purpose of these forms is to evaluate the effectiveness of training and development, and ensure that time and energy are wisely employed.