ANALYSIS

Assurance Questions

Following discussions with SPA representatives in April 2024, it was advised that LTD should seek to answer to the following questions to provide assurance in relation to L&D needs being identified and addressed.

How do we know what the technical and behavioural learning needs are?

At a strategic level, plans to improve capabilities to meet current and future policing demands are documented within the Strategic Workforce Plan – these include digital forensics, cybercrime, intelligence analysis and public protection.

At the outset of any new training and development, whether this is a strategic gap or as a result of new legislation, new procedures, new equipment or audit recommendations, a Training Needs Analysis will often be undertaken to assess the actual training requirement. A new Training Request Form will be submitted to LTD from the respective business area which outlines the training requirement, timescales, costs, preferred format and any refresher elements. These are reviewed by our Training Business Partners and then considered at our monthly Senior Management Team meeting in respect of the LTD resource required and the sequencing of this with other training across the organisation. Where the abstraction is significant, these are escalated for approval at the SLDGB. All new training is tabled at this Board for oversight in any case.

Business As Usual (BAU) training requirements associated with the roles that officers and staff are undertaking are recorded on our SCOPE system as an ‘approved training need’. These should align with our ‘mandatory’ training definition:

Either a statutory requirement to comply with legislation, policies, regulations and government guidelines, or identified by the organisation as compulsory in order to reduce risk. (Eg. Firearms, Public Order licensing requirements). It also includes instances where continued membership or accreditation of a professional organisation and maintenance of professional competence by an individual is identified as an essential requirement to meet the organisation’s needs of the role.

These approved training needs are extracted twice a year by LTD and a training calendar is collated with delivery ideally in the locations required. For courses where demand exceeds capacity to deliver in the training period, we request that business areas prioritise officers/staff for attendance. Refresher training is scheduled in line with expiry dates and training is arranged in locations as required.

LTD hold the central budget for external training needs and a scrutiny process is in place for officers/staff who require training delivered by an external provider e.g. the College of Policing. Request forms, approved at Superintendent (or equivalent) level as being mandatory for the respective role, are routinely submitted to LTD for consideration and budget provision.

One of the themes in the forthcoming L&D Plan for the organisation is to review the role requirements attached to every role profile and to establish the associated mandatory training. This will enable a more structured mechanism for projecting, approving and reporting on mandatory training.

How do we know the learning solutions are fit for purpose in design and format?

The Police Scotland National Framework for Quality Assurance in Training and Education sets out a set of core principles against which programmes are measured and reviewed. All new approved learning programmes are subject to quality assurance sign off using the principles contained within the QA framework in relation to programme design, learning teaching and assessment strategies and programme evaluation.

All programmes carrying formal SCQF credit awarded by the Scottish Police College are subject to annual audit and independent monitoring by the QA function. This ensures programmes continue to meet the criteria for recognition on the SCQF. This includes regular evaluation of effectiveness and annual review of content. This process is extended to other non-credit bearing programmes where resources allow.

Effectiveness of quality assurance processes are demonstrated in continued external validation and recognition by both SCQF and SQA. This reflects effective processes in relation to programme design, delivery and independent QA monitoring of application of relevant processes.

All LTD Instructors undertake a comprehensive professionalisation programme through completion of a Police Scotland Professional Award in Training, Learning and Assessment. This ensures that all those involved in training delivery meet the Trainer Qualification standard as laid down in the QA framework. This ensures that all Trainers are suitably trained and skilled in programme design, effective delivery, learner assessment and student support.

As a Modern Apprenticeship provider LTD is also subject to external quality reviews by Skills Development Scotland and HMIE(S).

How do we know that the training content and delivery method has addressed the identified training need?

The QA framework lays down a strategy in relation to evaluation of the effectiveness of learning programmes using the Kirkpatrick model. Level 3 evaluations (application of learning in the workplace) are undertaken for all SCQF credit bearing programmes on a 2-yearly basis which allows a feedback loop into programme design. Where capacity allows, the QA function conducts independent and impartial evaluation of other core critical programmes, where requested, or works with business areas to help develop effective evaluation strategies.

As part of the QA framework and audit process all business areas are expected to evidence appropriate local evaluation processes to ensure that content remains current and aligned to learner needs. In addition, evidence of a minimum 2 yearly review of content and programme design is expected. Much of this will be based on learner feedback.

How do we ensure we are maximising the impact of our training products?

The Virtual Instructor Led Training theme within the L&D Plan will seek to transfer, where appropriate, face to face classroom courses into either a virtual classroom delivery or an e-learning format. Where appropriate, this will enable training to be delivered in a more efficient manner, reducing the need for travel and the provision of catering and accommodation. However, this will also increase accessibility for officers and staff attending virtual training and will enable e-learning products to be undertaken at a time suitable to each individual officer/staff member.

In addition, face to face classroom-based training is scheduled locally where possible in order to ensure accessibility and maximum uptake rates on courses.

The aforementioned SLDGB has oversight of all planned training and for ensuring that the organisation can absorb this in order that the target audience can be abstracted to undertake each training product. Where absorbability is a challenge, the Board is responsible for prioritising the delivery of training products to ensure that those carrying the highest risk are delivered ahead of others.

LTD have produced a Learning Dashboard, comprising of completion rates for selected mandatory or priority training products, which can be drilled down to business area, team and individual PSI numbers as required. This is designed to show the health of the organisation in relation to priority training and encourage completion where required. The training products which feature on this will change depending on those that should be the focus for completion at any given point in the year. It is anticipated that this will assist in flattening the curve of abstractions for e-learning in particular. At present, the courses which feature on this are OST, Data Protection, CBRN Initial Operational Response, Fire Safety, Hate Crime and ACRA. Our most recent EDI module is due to be added to this imminently in place of Hate Crime for which the deadline has now passed.

How do we ensure there are developmental opportunities?

LTD provides a variety of CPD offerings including 15 facilitated sessions (Empower Hours) every month to support officers/staff develop deeper self-awareness and encourage positive behaviour change. 4 sessions each month focus specifically on a range of inclusion topics including bias and institutional discrimination. In addition, subject-specific CPD events are regularly hosted by both LTD and other business areas across the organisation. Some are more formal than others e.g. Firearms who have a very specific set of CPD requirements for officers to remain competent in their specialism. The Leadership & Talent team also offer a range of leadership development products.

HowTo is our online CPD platform which all officers/staff have access to and contains over 2,000 learning resources covering a range of topics, including personal skills, business skills, leading people and teams, as well as leadership and strategy. The learning resources suit a range of learning styles and busy work schedules with most resources taking between 2 to 20 minutes to complete.

In addition to this, a small number of business areas have procured LinkedIn Learning licences (approx. 400 licences in total) including Digital Division, the Analysis & Performance Unit and Demand & Productivity Unit. Again, this platform currently offers courses and learning paths in a wide variety of topics including professional development, career development, technology (Microsoft products), wellbeing, customer service and leadership. These range from bite-sized videos to in-depth courses.

Within the forthcoming L&D Plan, there is a theme on online CPD platforms including assessing the available options, benefits and costs to the organisation.

Next Steps

The L&D Plan is currently being finalised and progress against this will be reported through the SLDGB. If the SPA People Committee requires, updates on this can also be tabled at future meetings of the Committee to provide assurance of progress within the area of learning and development. Additional information can be reported as required.

LTD also extends an invite to any SPA Board Members who wish to visit one of our training hubs to observe any specific training being delivered and to discuss any areas with LTD staff/officers in more detail.