CPD evidence examples: what good actually looks like

Most CPD records fail not because the learning did not happen, but because the evidence is thin. "Attended safeguarding training, 2 hours" tells an assessor almost nothing. Here is what stronger evidence looks like, activity by activity.

Courses and workshops

Keep the certificate, but add two or three lines of your own: what the session covered, one thing you will do differently, and when. For example: "De-escalation workshop. Learned the LEAPS model for distressed callers. Will use the acknowledge-and-pace step on reception duty; reviewing how it went after two weeks."

Reading and research

An article, book chapter or guidance update counts if you can say what you took from it. Note the title and source, the key point, and how it connects to your work: "Read the updated KCSIE guidance. The changes to filtering and monitoring affect our IT policy - flagged to the safeguarding lead for the next review."

Supervision and peer discussion

One of the most underrated forms of CPD. Record who you spoke with (a role is fine, not a name), the topic, and the insight: "Discussed a difficult disclosure case with my supervisor. Realised I had been recording facts but not the child's exact words. Changed my case-note approach from today."

Learning from incidents and mistakes

Reflections on things that went wrong are powerful evidence of professional growth. Describe what happened, what you analysed, and the change you made. Keep it factual and free of identifiable personal details.

Mentoring, shadowing and observing others

Watching a skilled colleague run a meeting, deliver feedback or handle a complaint is CPD if you capture what you observed and what you will try yourself.

Work projects and new responsibilities

Taking on something new - leading an audit, training new starters, redesigning a process - generates learning. Record the challenge, what you had to learn to do it, and the outcome.

The pattern behind good evidence

Every strong entry answers three questions:

1. What did I do? The activity, date and time spent.
2. What did I learn? A specific insight, not a summary of the content.
3. What changed? Something you now do differently, or intend to, with a review point.

Write entries while the learning is fresh, keep them short, and your record will stand up to any audit.