Listen to thisThis article is the third instalment in a series exploring the development and roll-out of a comprehensive learning and development framework for CYC practitioners with SOS Children’s Villages. In this article we explore the development of the CYC practitioner and describe the framework of learning and development processes that were development to support them.
The developmental journey of a CYC practitioner in SOS Children’s Villages is a dynamic process and is believed to evolve through three levels of growth through a combination of self-awareness, reflection, learning, and practice (Phelan, 2017). This process is supported by professional CYC supervision, mentoring, and learning and development support, and progressing through these levels of growth is an ongoing process.
Beginner practitioners
When the beginner practitioner enters the organization and undergoes the onboarding and preparation process, they will receive a lot of support to take charge of their learning and development journey. Beginner practitioners have a lot to learn and are often very concerned with the basics of managing the everyday interactions with children and young people, tending to focus more on managing behaviour. As the beginner practitioner becomes progressively more skilled in managing everyday interactions, their focus may shift towards managing relationships and the environment to create a safe space for children and young people.
Mid-level practitioners
As the beginner practitioner becomes more skilled, they transition to a mid-level proficiency and may be considered for the next step in their career. There is a stronger focus on thinking and interacting in line with relational CYC practice principles and experiencing practice as a professional endeavour, with theoretical underpinnings. This involves individualised developmental care of children and young people and interactions that support and build resilience. Strong learning and development support, mentoring and supervisory support facilitates this important developmental transition. Mid-level practitioners may be vulnerable to becoming discouraged as they experience the realities of work and daily struggles and obstacles. Here, they need encouragement and support, and the critical role of coaching, peer-to-peer exchange and supervision cannot be overemphasised.
Advanced practitioners
As the CYC practitioner continues their journey of learning and development, they gain a more complex understanding of practice, where theory is unconsciously integrated in the merging of experience and knowledge. The advanced practitioner becomes more fully attuned to the needs of others, acutely focused on relational connections, and holds a deep respect for the beliefs and values of others. The advanced practitioner is an expert autonomous learner and starts to interact in supervision processes as an equal, seeing the need to be a mentor to other staff, while being deeply committed to continuing their professional development.
The professional developmental process is not a simple linear progression that CYC practitioners travel through only once. When practice demands or situations change, even advanced practitioners may find themselves cycling back to an earlier level of development, although they might progress faster given their level of experience. For example, a practitioner may perform extremely well in developing relationships with children and young people, but - when new children enter the programme - experience new challenges in relationship-building, so new learning must take place. Although the practitioner will be able to rely on their existing experience and skills, it is likely that they also need to cultivate new knowledge and skills.
After recruitment, the beginner practitioner undergoes a thorough orientation and preparation phase, during which they start to develop and strengthen the competencies required for their role. To help them in this process, they are guided by a Competency Portfolio which describes the competencies they need to acquire.
During the preparation period, caregivers participate in a series of workshops while they receive individual learning and development support from a member of the care support staff in the programme. This Initial Training Workshop consists of 5 weeks of group-based facilitated sessions around a set of 22 prioritised competencies, representing half of the competencies contained in their Competency Portfolio. The Initial Training Workshop is intended to empower the participants to take ownership of their professional learning and development – with the support of professional supervision and individual programme-level staff. Each week in the Initial Training Workshop comprises training on different set of competencies under the following five headings: professional caregiver role; holistic development of children and young people; caring family environments; professionalism, communication and teamwork, as well as personal and professional development.
The aims of the Initial Training Workshop for caregivers are:
By the end of the 9-12 months preparation period consisting of training workshops, individual learning, and development support, mentoring and professional supervision, the caregiver trainee is expected to demonstrate consistent performance in the 22 competencies selected for the Initial Training Workshop and significant progress towards consistent performance in the remaining competencies. The goal of the preparation period is therefore to ensure that the practitioner will be competent enough to provide quality care in their role, and their readiness to take on the position of caregiver and assume responsibility for children and young people is assessed through a performance management process.
Ongoing Learning
With the full support from their line manager, the CYC practitioner assumes responsibility for their personal and professional development, which is a continuous, life-long process. SOS Children’s Villages permits regular time for learning and offers learning and development opportunities in various formats from which the practitioner can choose, depending on their needs and organizational goals.
The annual performance appraisal process supports the CYC practitioner and their line manager in reflecting on the quality of their cooperation, achievements, challenges, and development needs, and in agreeing on concrete learning and development goals and measures. They also regularly review longer-term career plans and/or the finalization of employment, including retirement.
Some of the learning and development opportunities offered include:
Mentoring Role
An experienced and successful caregiver can become a mentor for trainee caregivers during their first two years of service, and potentially for caregivers in the community. Before being assigned this responsibility, they would be required to demonstrate competency in mentoring caregiver trainees. Mentoring is not exclusively offered during the preparation period – a caregiver may benefit from mentoring during different stages of their professional development and is therefore encouraged.
It is recognised that a practitioner’s level of competence only reflects a snapshot at a given point in time and that it is a process of on-going development.
The process map depicted above was hand-drawn by one of the Learning and Development Core Team facilitators to provide a visual reference point for the learning journey of CYC practitioners. At the centre of this map, we see the caregiver as the driver of their own learning and development journey on the road to positive outcomes for children and young people. In this process map, we recognise that the caregiver holds the key to brighter futures for children and young people, and investing in their learning and development is an investment in the future of those in their care.
Reference
Phelan, J. (2017). Intentional CYC Supervision. A Developmental Approach. Cape Town: The CYC-Net Press
