Introducing the Continuous Learning Framework Scottish Social Services Council

Overview Why was the Continuous Learning Framework (CLF) developed, what is it and who is it for? The four key areas of the CLF Some ways in which individuals and organisations are currently using the CLF How to get copies of the CLF and find out more

Why was the CLF developed? To improve the quality of outcomes for people using social services To achieve this by supporting the workforce delivering social services to learn, develop and improve their practice throughout their career To set out the shared commitment needed from social service workers and their employers to make this happen

What is the CLF? It is a framework which sets out what people working in social services need to be able to do their job well now and in the future It sets out what their employer needs to do to support them to do their jobs well It is not mandatory It is designed to enrich rather than replace existing systems and processes

Who is it for? The public, private and voluntary sectors All areas of social services including social care, social work, early years and childcare and housing support The education, training and development of social services workers Integrated services Basically, everyone working in social services in Scotland!

The four key areas Knowledge, skills, values and understanding Qualifications and training Personal capabilities - how people manage themselves and their relationships with others in the workplace Organisational capabilities - the culture and conditions in the workplace that enable social service workers to be the best they can be

Knowledge, skills, values & understanding Set out at national level through National Occupational Standards (NOS), standards underpinning qualifications (based on NOS) SSSC Codes of Practice for Social Service Workers and Employers etc. Set out at employer level through job descriptions and person specifications, organisational policies and procedures, vision, values and aims etc.

Qualifications and training National qualification requirements already determined by SSSC for registration Training requirements of individual employers also already set out, eg induction, health and safety, the protection of children and vulnerable adults

Personal capabilities Managing relationships Empowering people Working in partnership Leadership Empathy Dealing with conflict Managing self Professional autonomy Lifelong learning Flexibility Confidence Resilience Accurate self- assessment Awareness of impact on others Awareness of wider context

Organisational capabilities Creating a learning and performance culture Planning for learning, development and improved practice Promoting access to learning and development opportunities Promoting access to feedback Treating people with dignity and respect Focusing on health and wellbeing

Individuals are using the CLF to… make their supervision more two-way and meaningful - gives a shared language and opens up feedback loop improve their practice both as individuals and as teams – greater confidence and better communication provide evidence of reflective learning for SVQ, PRTL support their induction – recognising prior learning and identifying learning needs

Organisations are using the CLF to… improve the assessment of the attitudes and values of applicants in the recruitment process improve existing performance review and development systems support the development of leadership and management capacity improve organisational learning culture enhance quality improvement and outcomes

In their own words “The Continuous Learning Framework has proved to be a very valuable tool across our whole workforce development strategy… In providing a skill set with which a worker/superviser can appraise practice within a sound value base, the CLF has become a document that fits comfortably with our different approaches.” (Roy Lawrence, Training and Development Co-ordinator, SWIIS Foster Care (Scotland)

How can I get hold of the CLF? You can download a copy from our website at

Where can I get more information? the project team at