1.3 Explain the differences between learning requirements and continuous professional development

This guide will help you answer 1.3 Explain the differences between learning requirements and continuous professional development.

Learning is a core part of working in adult care. Everyone in this sector needs to understand what they must know (learning requirements) and how ongoing learning works (continuous professional development or CPD). Both support quality, safety, and personal growth. Understanding the differences helps you plan training and support for your staff.

What Are Learning Requirements?

Learning requirements are the basic knowledge and skills a worker must gain to do their job safely and legally. These are often set by law, regulations, national standards, or the employer’s policies. Learning requirements tend to cover essential topics, with clear outcomes to be achieved and sometimes deadlines for completion.

Purpose:
Learning requirements make sure workers can safely carry out their duties. These requirements minimise risk or harm to people using services and to staff themselves.

Who decides them?
These requirements usually come from:

• Laws and regulations (for example, Health and Safety at Work Act)
• Statutory bodies such as the Care Quality Commission (CQC)
• Local authority commissioning contracts
• Organisational policies and procedures
• Professional standards, such as those set by Skills for Care or the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC)

What subjects are included?
Learning requirements generally include mandatory topics, such as:

• Safeguarding adults
• Health and safety
• Fire safety
• Infection prevention and control
• Moving and handling
• First aid
• Food hygiene
• Medicines management

Features:

• Compulsory for particular roles or all staff
• Set timeframe to complete (for example, within the first 12 weeks for new staff)
• Often assessed and logged by the employer
• Not negotiable – failing to complete these can lead to disciplinary action or even dismissal

Example:
A care worker must complete moving and handling training before supporting someone with physical disabilities.

What Is Continuous Professional Development (CPD)?

Continuous Professional Development (CPD) goes beyond baseline requirements. It means ongoing learning throughout a person’s career. CPD helps people keep skills and knowledge up to date, develop new abilities, and respond to changes in best practice, expectations, or technology.

Purpose:
CPD helps staff reflect, improve, and grow in their professional life. It makes care better and prepares people for more responsibility or different roles.

Who decides and manages it?
CPD can be guided by:

• Professional registration or membership bodies (for example, NMC, Social Work England)
• Organisational support through supervision and annual appraisals
• The individual’s own interests and learning needs

What subjects are included?
CPD includes any learning relevant to the role or sector. Some examples:

• Advanced dementia care
• Managing challenging behaviour
• Mentoring and coaching others
• Leadership and management skills
• Keeping up with new legislation or guidance
• Research skills
• Technology in care
• Workshops, conferences, webinars
• Reading articles or best practice guides

Features:

• Ongoing, dynamic process over time
• Can include formal training, informal learning, self-study, research, mentoring or reflective practice
• Promotes career progression and personal satisfaction
• May be driven by personal goals, employer’s service needs or regulatory developments
• Often self-identified, with support from a supervisor or mentor
• Often evidenced through a CPD portfolio or reflective record

Example:
A supervisor attends a conference on digital care planning, learns about a new app, and then trial it with their team. They later lead a discussion about it and record this as part of their CPD.

Main Differences Between Learning Requirements and CPD

The table below highlights the main differences.

Aspect	Learning Requirements	Continuous Professional Development (CPD)
Purpose	Basic compliance and safety	Ongoing growth, keeping up to date, development
Who sets it?	Employer, law, regulator, national body	Individual, employer, professional body
Mandatory?	Yes, for all staff or specific roles	No, but highly recommended for quality and careers
Subjects covered	Core safety, care, and legal topics	Advanced, specialist, or developmental topics
Frequency	Usually once or at set intervals	Continuous, ongoing
Assessment	Always assessed and recorded	May be recorded in a reflective log or portfolio
Consequences if not done	Unable to carry out role, breach of law or contract	Missed chance for growth, may affect career

Why Both Are Needed in Adult Care

Meeting learning requirements alone is not enough for a thriving, skilled workforce. CPD is a commitment to ongoing learning, not just early career training. It links to better outcomes, happier staff, and better inspections.

Good managers combine both:

• Make sure required learning is up to date for all workers
• Encourage and record CPD for staff and self
• Recognise and reward learning that goes above the basics

Common Misunderstandings

It’s easy to mix up ‘training’ with ‘CPD’. Not all training is CPD, and not all CPD comes from formal training courses. CPD is about learning from all experiences, including:

• Reflecting on what worked well
• Learning from mistakes or incidents
• Sharing knowledge with peers
• Participating in meetings, supervision or group discussions

Examples

• Completing annual safeguarding refresher training is a learning requirement.
• Reading new CQC guidance and discussing in team meetings adds to CPD.
• Gaining a qualification in positive behaviour support counts as CPD.
• Gaining the Care Certificate is a learning requirement for new workers.

Putting It Into Practice

Managers need clear systems for tracking both types of learning. This may be a training matrix (for required learning), and a reflective CPD log or personal development plan for wider learning.

Encourage staff to:

• Meet their essential requirements first
• See CPD as ongoing – not a “tick box”
• Use supervision to discuss learning goals
• Collect evidence of both types

Supporting CPD means valuing all learning, not just what is required. This builds a confident, skilled, flexible team ready for change.

Final Thoughts

Learning requirements are set by regulation, law, or policy. They protect safety and quality, and are non-negotiable for each role. Continuous Professional Development is voluntary but strongly encouraged. It supports ongoing development, career progression, and improved care. Both play a clear part in building and maintaining a competent, motivated adult care workforce.