This is a new Study Day designed for Assistant Practitioners (Associate Practitioners/SLTAs/ Support Workers).
This is about supporting you and your individual learning journey. How you can use everyday experience for gaining competencies and draw on the new RCSLT Framework to support your development in role.
This focus is on Active Learning (aka work based/experiential learning) and reflective practice. The new RCSLT Framework is about Assistants being Reflective Practitioners and learning and developing in relation to a specific role in a team/service.
The new frameworks for Competency Development and the RCSLT Support Worker Framework are explored. There is a How To Guide to ‘doing reflective practice’. The intention is for everyone to leave knowing how to be a Reflective Practitioner.
The day also gives an opportunity for networking, sharing ideas and experiences and learning together.
We know that SLTs supporting Assistants in their development are busy people and so this day aims to reduce time needed by covering the framework and its learning approach and empowering assistants to lead their learning and identify competencies and goals to go in a Learning Plan. You can return to your team with a clear idea about how to practically use the new framework
Evidencing competencies by using a Portfolio or Reflective Summary Sheet (like the RCSLT Diary) is also covered. Pointers for reflective writing and guidance on how to do this in a straightforward, non stressful way.
The RCSLT framework for supporting the development of Assistant Practitioners was launched in June 2023. The materials are available online on the Support Workers Hub on the RCSLT website.
Please Note: HEE (Health Education England) uses the term Support Worker across AHPs as does RCSLT to align with HEE. ARC uses Assistant/Associate Practitioner after listening to feedback from Assistants and Services.
What does it cover?
Themes Covered in Course
The following topics will be explored during the day
• Background – why this course is needed
• Supporting Assistant Practitioners - What do Assistants say?
• Barriers & Complications - What do SLTs say?
• The HEE AHP Support Worker Competency, Education and Career Development Framework (2021)
• The Support Worker Framework developed by RCSLT (2023)
• The Learning Approach – Active Learning with Reflective Practice
• Knowing about delegation and your scope of practice
• The Ladder of Support & Supervision
• Core/Foundation Competencies
• Follow up Clinical /SLT Role Relevant Competencies
• Identifying your key strengths
• How do we learn – your learning style
• Job satisfaction & Motivation at work
The emphasis on this course is on putting the new framework into practice in a busy workplace with the realities of limited time resource. and sharing experiences and ideas in small groups.