Exploring practitioners’ views on the purpose of continuous professional development and the barriers to engagement

Abstract

This dissertation is an exploration of practitioners’ views on continuous professional development (CPD) and the barriers they encounter to effective engagement. The
Scottish Government have presented their commitment and investment in children’s early years, with many policies produced and aimed for the early learning and childcare (ELC) sector, to reduce inequalities and ensure children have the best start in life with lasting impacts on outcomes. The Scottish Government set out actions that supported their vision and asserted if children are to benefit from ELC, the provision needs to be of high quality with professional development of staff incremental to facilitate this. My intention was to explore practitioners’ understandings of the purpose of CPD, through a questionnaire open to staff working with children in ELC and explore ways in which barriers to engagement were being encountered. I will be introducing the theoretical perspectives that underpin the argument for professionals to undertake CPD and show the intertwined connections between CPD, reflective practice and organisational culture. Drawing on the data gathered from the questionnaire, I argue that the opportunities and environments created for practitioners to participate in CPD and reflective practice, play a
significant role in determining the effectiveness of any CPD undertaken, and in turn, affect the quality of provision and opportunities available for children to achieve their potential.