Bridging the gap and continuing to develop professionally: A pluralist mixed methods study exploring the impact of continuing professional development (CPD) activity on the practice of therapists working in higher education (HE) settings

To date, there is limited research relating to the continued professional development (CPD) of qualified counselling professionals employed within counselling services in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Drawing on five student counselling professionals thematically analysed interviews, and subsequent survey data collected from ninety student counselling respondents, this research elucidates practitioners’ experiences of CPD practice and provision in HEIs. Existing challenges and potential opportunities were identified by participants for continued learning practice in university counselling services (UCS), in line with evolving national CPD strategies for the counselling and allied health care professions. The notable lack of research attending to the experiences of UCS practitioners continues, despite the impact of ongoing context-specific changes such as growing student demand and increased presentations of risk, as well as wider cultural, political, and socio-economic factors.
The results from this two-stage sequential mixed methods exploratory design demonstrate participants’ strong commitment to and valuation of CPD activity, with learning needs guided by interest (81%, n=73) and reflection on practice (63%, n=57). 94% of the participants stipulated new knowledge and skills as the learning objective yet only 17% engaged in research-led CPD activity, despite a national directive for a research-led practice. The study further revealed that national recommendations for the use of a supervised personal development plan (27%, n=24), appraisal (18%, n=16) or performance review (2%), to ensure CPD is guided by learning gaps, remains underutilised. Qualitative thematic data showed that whilst therapists are committed to their professional development and engage in a range of learning forums, there remains some concern about the lack of accessible and relevant CPD to support the rising complexity of therapeutic work presenting to UCS. This data provides an opportunity to review existing CPD practices in the sector and develop a continuing education programme that promotes best clinical practice in line with national expectations for the healthcare professions.
These findings thereby contribute to an unattended area of clinical practice and provide a practice-based research context to highlight practitioner perspectives, to shape future policy, service delivery, and training provision. Recommendations are made for CPD practice to be the shared responsibility of investors, stakeholders, and partners to ensure that research informed CPD practice is developed and maintained in the sector.