Round Up Spring 2019

Maintaining When reviewing the implementation of a firm’s Training and Competence scheme, we encounter the same common issues. If When undertaking appropriate CPD your emphasis should be on quality, not quantity.

It should answer questions like: • Did the activity meet my learning needs ? • How has the activity benefitted me professionally ? And include: • How you felt about the activity and the effectiveness of the learning and learning method.’ For example, if your objective is to ensure you’re maintaining your pension knowledge, a reflective statement could be along these lines: ‘The calculations provided within the learning material have helped me develop a better understanding of the tapered annual allowance. I now have the required technical knowledge in this area’. There’s no prescribed length to a reflective statement. But, the length of statement should reflect the length of the activity. An activity lasting an entire day should therefore be more detailed than an activity lasting 30 minutes. We often come across examples where a third party (for example, an administrator or assistant) has completed CPD on behalf of the adviser. The third party can record the activity, content and time spent, but don’t ask them to complete your reflective statement without input. They won’t be able to! Reflective statements should always be unique to the person undertaking the activity.

you’re subject to CPD recording requirements, either from a regulatory perspective, or as a requirement of a firm’s T&C scheme, you may find the following tips useful. Obtain and record your CPD on a regular basis We often see CPD being recorded annually, just prior to the renewal of a Statement of Professional Standing (SPS). If CPD isn’t recorded in a timely manner it can be difficult to remember what you did and why, resulting in poorly completed records. Obtain and record your CPD on a regular basis. Setting yourself targets to complete CPD on a regular basis will help you achieve your annual requirement more easily. For example, if you need to complete 15 hours in relation to IDD, consistently completing just over an hour each month makes it much more achievable. Personally, I set myself a diary note for the first Monday of each month. Recording it routinely certainly helps me. Record reflective statements promptly and with care Reflective statements are often poorly completed. More often than not, they’re rushed due to being completed at the last minute. Sometimes, it’s because the individual doesn’t realise what it is they need to record. One accredited body has stated ‘A reflective statement is a statement of the outcomes achieved.

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