ABERDEENSHIRE INTER-AGENCY LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

CONTENTS INTRODUCTION PRINCIPLES AIMS AND OBJECTIVES LEARNING CHARTER ROLE AND REMIT MEMBERSHIP LINKS o TO SINGLE SERVICE CP & DA Learning and Development Programmes Aberdeenshire Council NHS Grampian Police Scotland Third/Independent Sector o Aberdeenshire GIRFEC Planning o North East of Scotland Child Protection Partnership Training Calendar (NESCPT) o National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland 2014 - Part 2 o The National Framework for Child Protection Learning & Development in Scotland 2012 o The GIRFEC National Practice Model 2008 o Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 o Safer Lives: Changed Lives - A Shared Approach to Tackling Violence Against Women in Scotland 2009

Main Author/s Date Completed Date Updated Committee Approved Effective from Review Date GMG Governance

Lindsey Anderson, Employee Dev. Officer, Communities Gill Kitching, Project Manager, Children’s Services Emma Toner, Lead Officer, C&FPC 3 October 2013 7 May 2015 19 May 2015 21 November 2015 May 2017 20 May 2015 Child and Family Protection Committee - Learning & Development Sub-Group

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Introduction The Aberdeenshire Child and Family Protection Committee and Aberdeenshire GIRFEC Management Group (GMG) have developed this Aberdeenshire Inter-Agency Getting it Right for every Child (GIRFEC), Child Protection and Domestic Abuse Learning and Development (L&D) Strategy to support the development of a confident, competent workforce to promote the wellbeing of children and young people and their families, to protect them from harm and improve outcomes for them. This strategy focuses on Domestic Abuse and Child Protection learning and development, whilst acknowledging the role of GIRFEC as the foundation for the early identification of risk. Local Agencies and workers can understand and agree processes for working together to safeguard and promote the wellbeing of children and young people by responding early and effectively to child protection concerns. Principles The Strategy considers Learning & Development on a multi agency level, giving consideration to the GIRFEC, Child Protection and Domestic Abuse competencies gained by acquiring the knowledge and skills needed by the Aberdeenshire multi-agency workforce. There are a number of key policies that underpin and inform the Strategy:o Part 2 of National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland 2014 (paragraphs 158 to 164) o The National Framework for Child Protection Learning and Development in Scotland 2012 o The GIRFEC National Practice Model 2008 o Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 There are a number of fundamental principles of the Learning and Development Strategy:o A fundamental focus on safe and effective practice and timely responses’ to GIRFEC, Child Protection and Domestic Abuse o An Organisational-wide commitment learning and development

to

evidence

based

o A respect for the unique and different strengths of each agency o A partnership approach of learning together and sharing innovative and effective working practices 3

o All Learning and Development opportunities will be subject to assessment, evaluation and quality assurance o Line managers and teaching professionals will have a responsibility to help people learn, support development and offer reflective opportunities alongside personal responsibility and commitment by practitioners o Commitment to a blended learning approach using both formal and informal methods of learning, delivery styles and methodologies o Commitment to responding to national policy and initiatives related to local need; disseminating the latest operational and organisational knowledge and practice to the workforce Aims & Objectives o To provide a strategic framework, common understanding and collective approach to inter-agency child protection and domestic abuse L&D o To develop a competent and confident workforce by the provision of inter-agency GIRFEC, child protection and domestic abuse L&D opportunities that complement existing single agency child protection training provisions o To provide good quality, evidence-based, inter-agency child protection and domestic abuse Learning & Development opportunities which are robust, fit for purpose, highly evaluated and regularly quality assured o To contribute towards the care and protection of children and families by promoting the principles of early identification, intervention and support, reflective of the GIRFEC Practice Model and approach o To ensure that all workers have the necessary core competences, key knowledge, skills and values to deliver a consistently high standard of support to children, young people and their families

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The Learning and Development Charter This strategy captures the important and interconnected roles of the learner, the line manager, the learning professional and the service. In particular, the key participant’s responsibilities are – Aberdeenshire Child and Family Protection Committee & Aberdeenshire GIRFEC Management Group (GMG) o Will own and challenge the Learning & Development strategy and delivery plan to ensure they support the overall objectives of the Committee. o Will maintain an awareness of learning and development initiatives and seek regular reports from the L&D group on performance and impact. Line Management o Will ensure that they and their team play an active role in learning and development and acquire the skills and knowledge required for their role. o Will use coaching and mentoring skills to guide the development of their teams. Will work in partnership with Learning & Development professionals to ensure that learning plans and interventions are appropriate and focused on service needs. o Will support a range of learning opportunities for employees, including support for personal development and career progression Individual Learners o Will take personal responsibility for identifying their own development needs and potential development opportunities. o Will undertake learning and development as guided by the Service plans and their line manager. o Will ensure that they have a formal development plan (Employee Annual Review). o Will take part in formal and informal learning and support the development of others. L&D Professionals (internal) o Will consult with senior and line managers on L&D priorities. o Will act as a facilitator of learning using a range of interventions focused on the need of the learners as opposed to a trainer-centric approach.

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o Will research and implement new learning methods and programmes, including the use of technological solutions. o Will utilise proportionate quality assurance to ensure that learning interventions are appropriate, relevant and contribute to individual and Service performance. o Will manage external contracts and frameworks, liaising with external professionals on behalf of the Service. L&D Professionals (external) o Will work in partnership with the Service to design, deliver and evaluate L&D interventions to meet Service requirements in accordance with the terms of their contractual frameworks. Role and Remit of the Learning and Development Sub-Group o To ensure that Learning and Development Opportunities exist for workers to develop the competencies – knowledge skills and values they require o To identify Learning and Development needs for the GIRFEC, Child Protection and Domestic Abuse workforce o To create and take forward an action plan o To have an overview and knowledge of the GIRFEC, Child Protection and Domestic Abuse Learning and Development Opportunities available in Aberdeenshire o To identify and Development

promote

Multi-agency

Learning

and

o To identify multi-agency Training needs o To connect with the North East Child Protection Training Group o To connect with the GIRFEC Modules Working Group o To connect with the Aberdeenshire ADP Children and Families Sub-Group o To connect with the Aberdeenshire Gender Based Abuse Partnership o To work with other public protection Partnerships to consider opportunities for joint learning and development where there are links and overlaps o To ensure that training remains relevant, effective, up-todate and consistent across Aberdeenshire o To provide regular updates to Aberdeenshire Child & Family Protection Committee & GIRFEC Management Group

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Membership MEMBERSHIP OF LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT SUB GROUP Title & Service CHAIR - Employee Development Officer, Corporate Services, Aberdeenshire Council Children’s Services, Aberdeenshire Council Education, Aberdeenshire Council Childcare Strategy, Childcare Partnership, Aberdeenshire Council NHS Grampian Police Scotland Community Safety, Aberdeenshire Community Planning Partnership MINUTE - Lead Officer, Child and Family Protection Committee Lead for multi-agency GIRFEC Transformation Third Sector, via Aberdeenshire Voluntary Action (AVA) Aberdeenshire Alcohol and Drug Partnership (ADP) Children & Families Sub-Group North East Child Protection Training Co-ordinator Aberdeenshire Child and Family Protection Committee and GIRFEC Management Group Leads/Co-ordinators

Expectations of Members Each Service will identify the appropriate representative from their Service for the group. Members will ensure attendance at the majority of the Sub-Group meetings and if this is not possible, will make efforts to arrange for a colleague to cover.

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