For the people
you support
Guidance changes, conditions vary and good practice moves on. Regular learning helps you keep up and put that knowledge to work.
What is CPD?
Continuing professional development.
Learning that keeps your skills current, throughout your career in care. Here's what counts, how to record it and what accreditation means.
01 / The short version
Keep learning.
Keep learning.
Bring it into practice.
CPD is learning that helps you do your job well, after your initial training.
It might be a safeguarding refresher, a course on dementia, a supervised shift learning a new procedure, or time spent reading and reflecting on new guidance.
What matters is how you use it. People receiving care need staff whose skills are current. A record of your learning helps you, your employer and inspectors see what you've done.
02 / Why it matters in care
Behind good care,
Behind good care,
there's ongoing learning.
For the people
For inspection
Regulators expect providers to show that staff are trained, competent and kept up to date. A clear record helps show that learning has happened.
For your career
CPD helps you build skills as your role develops. Keep the record with you, so you can show what you've learned when you take your next step.
03 / What counts
More than
More than
a classroom.
Formal and informal learning both count. The useful question is what you learned and how it changed your practice.
How to count itCourses and workshops
Face to face or online, with a trainer. Safeguarding, medication, moving and handling, first aid.
E-learning
Self-paced modules with a check at the end. Learning you can fit around your working day.
Shadowing and supervision
Learning a task alongside someone experienced, then being observed doing it.
Reflective practice
Writing up what happened, what you learned and what you'll do differently.
Reading and research
Working through new guidance, a report or a book, and applying it.
Conferences and events
Sector days, webinars and network meetings that keep you current.
04 / Hours and points
Give your learning
Give your learning
a clear record.
CPD is usually counted in hours of guided learning. Many bodies convert hours into points.
There's no single hours target for everyone working in care. Your employer or professional body may set one. Keep your learning relevant to your role, current and recorded somewhere it can be checked.
On a CareCPD certificate
1CPD pointequals1hour
One hour of accredited learning.
- Course, provider, date
- Printed and verifiable.
- A unique certificate code
- CareCPD certificate links use this format:
https://verify.carecpd.com/verify.html?code=...
05 / Accredited CPDWhat sits behind
What sits behind
the certificate.
Accreditation means the training has been checked against a standard. Here's what that means at CareCPD.
The content
was reviewed
The course, its learning outcomes and its assessment were checked against the CareCPD standard before it could carry the seal.
The provider
was approved
The organisation behind the course applied, was reviewed, and remains approved only while it keeps meeting the standard.
The certificate
can be checked
Every certificate has a unique code. Anyone can check its status, and withdrawn certificates show as withdrawn.
Is CPD mandatory for care workers?
There's no single CPD quota for all care workers. Regulators expect staff to be trained and kept up to date, and many roles and registrations have their own requirements. Check what applies to your role with your employer or professional body.
Does e-learning count?
Yes. E-learning counts when it has a clear learning purpose and you can record what you learned and how it changed your practice.
How many hours should I do?
There's no single number for every role. Follow your employer's or professional body's guidance and focus on learning that's relevant, current and recorded.
What if a certificate won't verify?
Check the code carefully, then try the verifier again. If you still can't verify it, contact the CareCPD team.
Can I record CPD I did elsewhere?
Yes. Keep a record of the activity, what you learned and how it changed your practice.
Keep reading
Go a little deeper.
Put the record to the testGot a certificate
Verify a certificate
Got a certificate
to check?
Enter the code and see what was accredited.