Marion Layberry is a registered social worker and Managing Director of Safehouses, a small, not–for-profit fostering provider (www.safehouses.org). In a varied career she has been a special needs teacher, a supported housing worker and a foster carer.
How did you approach your PRTL?
As a manager it was important that I had an awareness of the training needs of the whole team, as well as my own. I was able to use the Record of Achievement to highlight my own training experiences and to identify areas on which myself and other team members needed to focus.
What kind of activities did you undertake?
Apart from being involved in regular training sessions (both as a facilitator and as a participant) covering such topics as Safer Caring, Attachment, and Valuing Diversity, I attended conferences and workshops set up by organisations such as Local Safeguarding Children Boards and the British Association of Adoption & Fostering (BAAF) to stay up to date with current developments
Is PRTL of benefit to you in your role?
Absolutely. Having to focus on what training I am doing has enabled me to reflect on my own practice, and to look at how the changes we encounter in our field of work affect the way we do our job. I am able to pass on information to colleagues which generates debate and results in a wellintegrated team, keen to achieve the best possible results for children.
Did your employer support you while you completed your PRTL?
Effectively I am the employer – albeit a very hands-on one! I have looked at the training needs of all members of staff, and absolutely understand the need for them to have appropriate and relevant opportunities to complete their PRTL. In the past members of staff have been supported through the PQ Award process. Whenever a member of staff attends training, there is an expectation that they will feed back new knowledge and ideas to the whole team.
How easy or difficult has it been to fit around your daily work?
There are many opportunities, both formal and informal, to access training and learning. It has been relatively easy to take part in activities and events which enhance knowledge during the course of my everyday work. Completing the PRTL appeared at first to be a daunting task. However, the outcome has been extremely positive because it has given me the opportunity and time to reflect upon the new knowledge I have gained. It demonstrated the importance of keeping that knowledge up to date.
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