1. Recognition of Prior Learning in the workplace: social services SCQF Partnership- RPL event 18 November 2010

2. RPL and Social Services- Alison Harold and Keith Quinn (Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC)/ Skills for Care and Development) Introduction to RPL and social services Workforce Solutions Portal and RPL Perth and Kinross Council’s experience of using RPL

3. Purpose of the SCQF Social Services Recognition of Prior Informal Learning (RPL) project To engage social services workers who lack confidence as learners and/or are reluctant to undertake formal learning, such as SVQs. To speed up the process of RPL for credit towards qualifications, for example SVQ Health and Social Care.

4. Purpose of the Social Services RPL Resources To support the process of recognising the prior informal learning of workers within the social services sector The process supported by these resources is not a direct route to qualification achievement. It is about preparing learners to gain credit towards qualifications through confidence building and developing the skills of reflection.

5. RPL Resources and Guidelines for Mentors and Learners Mentor Guidance Pack Resources Pack Profiling Tool Links to SVQ3 Unit HSC33- Reflect on and develop your practice

7. Accelerating the achievement of qualifications RPL can provide a good springboard into a qualification: useful preparation in learning how to think and write reflectively and lessens the fear of undertaking a qualification Can be used for wide range of qualifications at all levels : profiling tool useful shell document Resource Pack, in a generic or tailored form, could usefully support RPL across a range of different sector areas Resources could be developed further through the application of on-line technology

8. Evaluating and enhancing practice Greater self-confidence within the workplace itself. In qualitative terms increased confidence and levels of enthusiasm and enhanced critical evaluation of their own, and others’, practice had had a positive impact on their practice Building RPL into a process of continuous employee development

9. Workforce Solutions Portal Amended version of the profiling tools and evidence gathering sheets for Health and Social Care SVQ level 3 added to the Workforce Solutions Portal

10. Workforce Solutions http://workforcesolutions.sssc.uk.com/ http://workforcesolutions.sssc.uk.com/ RPL materials http://ewd.sssc.uk.com/ewd/learning/the- recognition-of-prior-informal-learning-rpl-guidance-and- resources-for-mentors-and-learners.html#4http://ewd.sssc.uk.com/ewd/learning/the- recognition-of-prior-informal-learning-rpl-guidance-and- resources-for-mentors-and-learners.html#4

11. Discussion- RPL in the workplace-Alison Harold, Keith Quinn What are the benefits to the leaner and for your sector? What difficulties/challenges have been experienced? What successes have there been? Suggestions from group members to implement RPL in the workplace; to meet the challenges; to build on successes.