Brenda Walker is the National Adult Support and Protection Co-ordinator (NASPC) for Scotland. As the NASPC, Brenda has a real commitment to making adult support and protection (ASP) work better for both people and practitioners.
Contact Brenda to learn more about her work: brenda.walker@iriss.org.uk, and keep up-to-date via the NASPC website, https://naspc.scot/.
I have now been in post for a little over two years as the National Adult Support and Protection Coordinator – which I find very hard to believe, it has completely flown by!
The National ASP Learning & Development Framework - get involved!
A recent piece of work I have been involved in is developing a National Adult Support and Protection (ASP) Learning and Development Framework. This work is being taken forward jointly by the National ASP Learning and Development Network and a multi-agency Stakeholder Reference Group, which is made up of those across the ASP community with an interest in the development of the proposed Framework.
A workforce survey, undertaken in 2023, highlighted the very diverse array of arrangements in place across Scotland with regards to learning and development for ASP skills and knowledge. Those responding to the survey also requested improved national clarity and consistency in relation to ASP training and development expectations. In addition, the lack of an ASP Learning and Development Framework had been highlighted as a gap by members of the National ASP Implementation Group. Lastly, our Child Protection colleagues have recently published their refreshed Child Protection L&D Framework and it felt like exactly the right time to provide clarity across the sectors – especially in relation to Public Protection across the lifespan.
This work is currently underway and it is hoped that the finalised Framework will be ratified jointly by both the National ASP L&D Network and the Stakeholders Reference Group, prior to being presented to the National ASP Strategic Forum for endorsement. Our anticipated deadline for completion of this work is early Autumn 2025.
We have arranged two drop-in sessions in December (10th December and 12th December 2024) for anyone within the wider ASP interested community to join us to hear about the current progress in relation to the National ASP L&D Framework and to ask questions, make comments etc. If you would like an invite to one of these sessions, please email Holly Smith: holly.smith@iriss.org.uk
View the archive of ASPire 2024 videos
I hope you have been enjoying using the ASPire Resource Hub – it has been incredibly gratifying to hear how enthusiastic those with an interest in ASP have been about the Hub, and to see resources being added regularly. If you have an interest in seeing any of the ASPire (Adult Support and Protection Innovation and Reflection Event) recordings, there’s now a new tag for all ASPire videos, allowing easy access all in one place. Videos from this year include those on the OPG, supported decision-making, undue pressure and also a generic ASP training presentation that can be shared with staff and volunteers across sectors, covering all the ASP basics.
If you'd like to receive my bi-monthly (every two months) NASPC newsletter – for all things ASP – please sign up here: ASP Newsletter. And please do drop me a note at brenda.walker@iriss.org.uk if there is anything further about ASP you wish to discuss.
