Our learning offer is key to meeting these ambitions and our programme is open to all staff (including agency staff) with an expectation that learning opportunities are taken up as part of your Continued Professional Development requirement.

The Academy works in partnership with the Learning and Development Service to commission learning based on the identified needs of staff members and the wider needs of the service as identified through audit findings or in response to changing legal and practice frameworks and knowledge from research.

The Academy monitors the quality and impact of our learning programme to ensure it meets the needs and expectations of staff and to measure its impact on standards of practice, service delivery and ultimately, outcomes for children and families. To help with this process we ask staff to complete training evaluation forms at the end of every session.

You can access and book onto all available training courses via the Learning and Development hub.

We want your learning and development to be tailored to your needs and aligned to your career ambitions. Supervision is the main forum for you to have "aspirational conversations" with your manager around your learning needs and how they will be met so you can both identify the learning you need. Managers will record these discussions in a learning and your development plan that is shared with the Academy and this information is used to help us commission our training.

You can also have a "career conversation" with Practice Development Officers based in the Academy at the monthly Academy clinic; they can advise you on your career pathway options and the best learning and development opportunities to support your choice.

You need to agree attendance at courses and other learning opportunities with your manager prior to applying for a place. It is an expectation that managers allow staff to attend and that cancelling attendance is in exceptional circumstances only.

Newly-qualified social workers joining Camden will be automatically enrolled on to our Assessed and Supported Year of Employment (ASYE) programme and receive extra support from the Academy.