Professional Development Report: Improving Knowledge and Practice

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of professional development within the context of Right at Home UK, a domiciliary care agency. It emphasizes the importance of continually improving knowledge and practice, outlining factors to consider when selecting opportunities and activities. The r...Read More

Professional Development

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
1.1 Importance of continually improving knowledge and practice.............................................3
1.4 Factors considering when selecting opportunities and activities for keeping knowledge
and practice up to date.................................................................................................................3
4.2 Importance of reflective practice to improve performance...................................................4
4.4 Work practice has been improved through:..........................................................................4
1.2 Potential barriers to professional development and ways to overcome................................5
1.3 Comparison of the different sources and systems of support for professional development
and used.......................................................................................................................................6
2.1 Evaluating own knowledge and performance against these standards and benchmarks......9
4.1 Comparison of the different models of reflective practice....................................................9
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
Professional development is the way of learning for maintaining or earning professional
credentials in terms of attending conferences, coursework, informal learning opportunities
(Butler and Schnellert, 2012). It is collaborative and intensive evaluation stage required in
business. The given assignment is based on Right at Home UK which is care agency that provide
domiciliary care service to people. It has more than 400 offices that helps thousands of people on
daily basis to live happily and independently at their homes. The report covers importance of
improving knowledge and practice and factors required to be considered while selecting
opportunities. Analysis of potential barriers to professional development and their overcomes are
discussed. Evaluation of own performance and knowledge against standards and benchmarks
along with models of reflective practice.
1.1 Importance of continually improving knowledge and practice
As a deputy manager of Right at Home, I have various responsibility for engaging in
continuous professional development. This helps me to enhance my knowledge and skills up to
date for taking actions and improving capabilities for carrying out daily task. For continually
improving knowledge and practice I need to aware about legislations, guidelines, welfare
requirements. My role is to provide support, guide and influence staffs in order to do well in
various roles they are going to perform. I should improve myself for following current health and
social care standard for proving services of domiciliary care to people. This helps me and my
team to work in better way by providing regular training and development to them. The learned
things should be practices in organisation to continuously improve ourselves.
1.4 Factors considering when selecting opportunities and activities for keeping knowledge and
practice up to date
While selecting resources, opportunities and activities for keeping knowledge and
practice up to date, it is necessary to consider need of individual employees, backgrounds,
service and roles they delivered to organisation (Esposito, Berlin and Lal, 2012). The points to be
considered for up to date are related with type of training to be selected, goals that need to be
achieved, type of training staff want and considering training courses mandatory for staff. All
such factors required to be considered and match with training budget of organisation. For
delivering training to staff deputy manager of Right at Home should be aware of new policies

which could be easy to grap opportunities. Apart from above, the two important factors to be
considered are as follows:
Time- In case of large team, it is not possible to conduct training for all members at a
time. Manager can conduct training at site rather than calling each employees from different
areas in order to avoid extra cost. Also manager can trained one or two staff on course so that
they can provide to remaining members and save time.
Cost- It is an important factors while selecting opportunities for knowledge up to date. If
cost incurred is higher than expected then leads loss to organisation.
4.2 Importance of reflective practice to improve performance
Reflective practice is components of developing better understanding of others and
emotional intelligence which has benefits in increment of self awareness. It helps in developing
thinking skills and encourages for active participation in work process. It is important tool that is
based on practice of professional learning setting where people learn from own rather than
knowledge transfer or formal learning for development and improvement. This reflective
practice helps in bringing theory and practices within work area. This improve my performance
by helping me to grow, self evaluate working practices which I can recognise to find strengths
and weaknesses. It enables me to improve future by learning from real life situations and
mistakes. This reflective practices can help me in professional development throughout my
career.
4.4 Work practice has been improved through:
• Reflection on best practice
Reflection on best practices assists me by thinking about my own success, efforts and
achievements. It is critical thinking plan where I analyse and review my work in order to make
connections among learnt and efforts. I need to learn and attend safeguarding meeting at work
place in order to improve myself. For example, if any issue arise in Right at Home then being
deputy manager I should be able to manage and handle all such effectively by using my skills
and knowledge. Thus, in order to improve myself I need to practice work given to me on
continuous basis.
• Reflection on failures and mistakes
I have learned through failures and mistakes made by old manager so that I could not
commit same in future. It is essentials for managers to know about important strategies and

teams for selecting valuable insights from failures and mistakes. These issues helps work to be
done effectively and efficiently in future. Thus, if I make mistakes then I can learn more from it.
This leads in avoiding failure for individual and organisations and implementation of suitable
strategies required in work place.
1.2 Potential barriers to professional development and ways to overcome
Potential Barrier How this may be overcome
Lack of supportive staff The staff should support and focus on
improving each and every employees of
organisation for professional development.
No encouragement from management/staff Management should suggest and encourage
mandatory/suitable training courses to staff for
developing professionalism.
Lack of budget from organisation Organisation need to make training budget
which should be up dated each year with new
and ongoing training course.
No time to train Adequate time should be set for every
employees in order to make them understand
and build confident about their learning.
Inadequate regular supervisions The staff and employees working in
organisation should be free and open to talk
with management for professional
development. Management should have open
door policy which leads staff not to wait for
monthly supervision so that they can improve
themselves from daily experience.
Child care issues The training should be provided on normal
working hours so that each and every
employees can attend essentials training
courses.

Sick/holiday time It is responsibility of management to conduct
training when all employees are present in
organisation for developing professionalism.
1.3 Comparison of the different sources and systems of support for professional development and
used
Sources and systems
of support:
Positive aspects Negative aspects How this is used
Formal support This helps employees
and staff to enhance
performance and
increase knowledge
towards health care. It
leads to provide
service effectively to
people with help of
support by manager.
Sometimes,
organisation provide
training to skilled
employees and support
them which creates
inequality among staff.
This leads to low
professional
development of
workers.
As a deputy manager it
is required to provide
rewards, appraisals
and performance
rewards that assist in
enhancing employee's
capabilities and
working skills towards
their care service
practices. It can be
used by analysing
skills and performance
of working staff.
Informal support This helps employees
to exist and survive in
organisation for longer
period of time. If
labour turnover is less
in organisation then it
helps in building
goodwill and image
which leads low cost
When problems and
issues of employees
are not heard then
conflict many arise.
This also leads to
leave job and increase
cost.
Sometime employees
need informal support,
as it not necessary that
workers always
requires training and
development to
improve themselves.
The manager need to
talk with their staff

requirements. and listen their
problems, issues for
solving it.
Supervision The regular
supervision by
manager can help
employees to correct
their mistakes which
helps them to provide
domiciliary service
effectively.
Due to work load,
manager is unable to
provide proper
guidance, support and
supervision to workers
which leads to
decrease in quality of
their service. Also it
creates
miscommunication
among staffs and
workers.
As a deputy manager,
it is required to do
proper supervision for
employees. Thus, in
case of any issues and
problems it can be
solved easily so that
all staff can provide
effective services to
needy one.
Appraisal Appraisal creates
opportunities to
improve performance
by using social process
and technology and
build career planning
that leads to better
professional
development.
The appraisal is done
once in a year which
leads staffs and
employees to feel
negative towards work
and organisation for
improving their
professional
development. Thus,
employer should
motivate and provide
benefits on regular
basis to employees for
better performance.
It is used for assessing
employee's
productivity and
effectiveness that
serves both
developmental and
administrative. Deputy
manager do appraisal
of their staff to
motivate and
encourage them for
work.
Mentoring This helps employees The mentor feels It is used when new

to feel supported and
creates opportunities
to interact with
expertise and
experienced manager
for improving
performance to
enhance development.
frustrated when staff is
not progressing
through their
guidelines and support
which leads low
professional
development.
employee join
organisation for
providing induction to
them about working
environment. It is also
used to provide self
development and
support to individuals
for helping them to
reach potential.
Within the
organisation
The manager can carry
out various training
programmes for
enhancement of
workers knowledge
and professional
development for
domiciliary care. This
helps in internal
evaluation and achieve
positive outcomes.
On the job training
leads to hamper work.
As it is provided
within organisation
during working hours.
Deputy manager can
provide training within
organisation so that
employees does not
have to go anywhere
for taking such
training. It is used for
solving internal
problems which arise
on daily basis.
Beyond the
organisation
Here, external
agencies helps
individual and
company with
professional
development. It can be
social services, health
professionals for
extensive knowledge
The training provided
outside organisation
increases cost to
company and time
consuming.
Training provide under
this is used for both
internal and external
evaluation. This
training can be
provided by deputy
manger to skilled and
experienced
employees for taking

and support. Off the
training leads to
improve efficiency of
workers.
risk in critical task as
it requires huge cost
and time.
2.1 Evaluating own knowledge and performance against these standards and benchmarks
Standards and benchmarks: How your knowledge / performance supports these
Codes of practice Code of practices promotes me in upholding dignity,
rights of clients and privacy to improve quality
healthcare and supporting through professional
development.
Regulations All the regulations, laws, rules should be implemented
in organisation effectively in order to achieve set goal
and objectives for increasing knowledge.
Minimum / essential standards QCF (Qualification and Credit Framework ) level 3
diploma in health and social care is mandatory for staff
in order to provide health care services.
National occupational standards These standards are for made for people to achieve in
work and by using knowledge and skills performance
should be given. As a deputy manager in domiciliary
care NOS is required for workers in hospitality and care
workers.
4.1 Comparison of the different models of reflective practice
The comparison of different models of reflective practices are as follows:
Gibbs Reflective Cycle
This model was given by Gibbs which reflects six stages of reflection described below:

Description- As a deputy manager in Right at Home is very difficult. There were many
responsibilities which lies within me. I need to take care of each and every employees for their
professional development in order to perform task in better way.
Feelings- When I was given task to improve professional development of staff I felt very
nervous. I became confused regarding training to be provided to them.
Evaluations- The good experience was that manager I became confident and manage all
responsibilities given to me and arrange training very effectively. Similarly, bad experience
which I felt employees and staff did not focus on training for improving themselves.
Analysis- The reason for providing training and development is to improve professional
development and provide service of health care in effective manner.
Conclusion- I could provide training in good manner which would be useful for
employees in future.
Action Plan- If same situation arise for me then I can do it more perfectly by doing
proper research to improve more.
Atkins and Murphy's Model of Reflection
It has five steps which are described below:
Identify Learning- For care service I need to analyse training for employees. Thus, it
helps in learning new skills and knowledge.
Awareness- It was good experience for me to know more about employees and their
skills and knowledge. It creates awareness among staff and workers.
Describe Situation- I should take care of each and every employees who are working in
organisation. In order to provide effective service training is must.
Analyse Feeling and Knowledge- There are many challenges occurred while conducting
training as many employee denied off training as it hampers their time for doing work.
Evaluate the Relevance of Knowledge- After providing training for professional
development they problem solved and staff worked effectively and efficiently.
CONCLUSION
From above report it can be concluded that employee working in organisation should be
provided with effective training and development in order to build and develop professionalism.
It need to be improved on continuous basis due to dynamic environment. Time and cost should
be considered while selecting opportunities in business. There are barriers such as lack of

support from management, low esteem which need to be overcome for professional
development. In order to gain knowledge and maintenance of performance standard, code of
practices, regulations and others need to be followed for improving. Gibbs and Atkins and
Murphy's model helps in knowing reflective practices regarding experience faced, awareness and
others.
REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Butler, D. L. and Schnellert, L., 2012. Collaborative inquiry in teacher professional
development. Teaching and teacher education. 28(8). pp.1206-1220.
Esposito, M. C., Berlin, D. H. and Lal, S., 2012. Special Education Professional Development
Schools: Why Do Candidates Choose to Participate?. Journal of the National
Association for Alternative Certification. 2(1). pp.4-17.
Moon, J. A., 2013. Reflection in learning and professional development: Theory and practice.
Routledge.
Reeves, S., and et. al., 2013. Interprofessional education: effects on professional practice and
healthcare outcomes. Cochrane Database of systematic reviews, (3).
Rienties, B., Brouwer, N. and Lygo-Baker, S., 2013. The effects of online professional
development on higher education teachers' beliefs and intentions towards learning
facilitation and technology. Teaching and teacher education. 29. pp.122-131.
Stewart, C., 2014. Transforming professional development to professional learning. Journal of
Adult Education. 43(1). pp.28-33.
Trede, F., Macklin, R. and Bridges, D., 2012. Professional identity development: a review of the
higher education literature. Studies in Higher Education. 37(3). pp.365-384.
Twining, P., and et. al., 2013. Moving education into the digital age: the contribution of teachers'
professional development. Journal of computer assisted learning. 29(5). pp.426-437.
van Driel, and et. al., 2012. Current trends and missing links in studies on teacher professional
development in science education: a review of design features and quality of research.
Studies in science education. 48(2). pp.129-160.
Zuber-Skerritt, O., 2013. Professional development in higher education: A theoretical
framework for action research. Routledge.
Online
Gibbs Reflective Cycle by Graham Gibbs. 2018. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.toolshero.com/management/gibbs-reflective-cycle-graham-gibbs/>.