Debbie Crawford - Integrated Workforce Development Officer
Job role: Integrated Workforce Development Officer
Debbie Crawford is an integrated children's workforce development officer in Central Bedfordshire. Debbie has delivered training to more than 350 members of the children and young people's workforce in the Bedfordshire area.
She has been working with the CWDC induction standards for three years, and has witnessed the positive difference it's making in her local area.
"When I think back many years ago on my early experiences in the workforce, there were times I was unsure about how to respond to situations. I think if I'd gone through induction training, I might have responded differently and perhaps achieved better outcomes.
"That's why the induction standards are so fantastic. They support learners through an early understanding of their role and responsibilities and provide a valuable networking opportunity to better understand other roles within the workforce.
My best analogy for the standards is that, much like a building, if the foundations are right, the building stands safely and well supported for years. If those foundations are a bit shaky, there are no guarantees. Common Induction ensures a firm foundation of the core skills for working with children and young people.
An opportunity for everyone
"When I started delivering the induction standards three years ago, it was to learning mentors, Connexions and educational welfare officers. That grew to the voluntary sector and to school roles, like pastoral support officers or parent support workers. More recently, we've engaged with other sectors and soon we'll be delivering induction standards training to the healthcare sector.
"The standards help the existing workforce to identify further development needs, and learners get fired up and encouraged to pursue accredited learning.
"I find that time, or a 'what's this about?' attitude are the main barriers preventing people from taking up induction. That's why we make induction as interesting as possible in the way we deliver it. On the first day, some people might sit there with puzzled looks on their faces. But by the end of the second day they're saying, "Great. This is fantastic. What comes next?"
Taking induction to the next level
"Alongside the induction training, there's an opportunity for learners to complete a workbook to help them understand how the standards apply to their individual roles.
"I personally read all the workbooks that come back to us. I find that the information they contain is so valuable, especially to find out how learning has changed practice, motivated people to move further into the children and young people's workforce, and helped them to see situations differently.
"We've also taken the induction a step further and incorporated the standards into a personal development portfolio, currently being trialled across sectors of the workforce. Inductions are such great frameworks for personal development; we're even looking at including them in job descriptions.
Getting the best results
"What you gain from a common induction is a joined-up commitment to achieving the best possible outcomes for children and young people and communication barriers do not exist in the way they have before. It gives people the confidence to see where their work stops and where other people's work might start, so they're not afraid to say, 'I've taken this as far as I can go and I believe it needs someone else's input'.
The standards encourage safe practice, ensure engagement across different sectors and they embrace the principles and values of the children's workforce. They also support multi-agency working through a common language.
"If we want to ensure the best possible outcomes for children, young people and their families: if we want our workforce to feel confident, competent and safe; then the induction standards are an absolute must."
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