Measuring the impact

Two women in discussion at a desk

Information to help you measure the impact of your CPD activity

We can help you to measure the impact of the continuing professional development (CPD) you provide your social workers. 

Your social workers will need to evidence their CPD and the impact this activity as part of their professional registration. 

This section explains the different tools and models which can be used. It also includes case studies which show how the models can be used for different types of training. 

Here are models most commonly used to measure the impact of CPD.  

Benefit realisation models (BRM)





Benefits realisation is about knowing where you want to get to, how you are going to get there and how you will know when you have arrived.

The six stage and four stage BRMs can help your social workers to achieve the benefits they have identified through their CPD activity.

They help to utilise capacity and make it clear who is responsible for the delivery of each benefit.

They track progress at the start, during and at the end of the activity.


Wisconsin (logic) model 



Logic models provide a simple, graphical way of describing the resources that go into an activity, the activities undertaken and the changes or benefits.

This model can be used by your social workers to question their logic and to identify things that might go wrong.

For example, they may question whether the outcomes of their CPD activity are realistic given the direction of your organisation, other priorities and the degree of success. 


This model is used in: 

This case study focuses on how the North London Partnership have used the benefits realisation model to measure the impact of Professional Capabilities Framework (PCF) training for their local authority, social work managers.

It shows how a group of employers with a shared goal can work together to develop and embed learning and good practice.

They chose the Benefits realisation model (BRM) because it encourages stakeholders to link activity to business plans and organisational objectives. Using this model helped to create a benchmark to measure the benefits of training.

It also discusses some of the challenges of implementing this model.

Supporting resources

This case study focuses on how Southend on Sea Borough Council have evaluated the CPD of their social workers to promote reflection and measure impact of their practice on people in need of care and support

They were keen to make the most of their budgets by offering high quality, relevant and cost effective professional development to their workforce.

This included measuring the impact of CPD on their social workers who support vulnerable children, families and adults in Southend.

Supporting resources

This case study focuses on how North Somerset Council have used the benefits realisation model (BRM) to focus on reflective supervision.

They already had systems in place for social workers to plan and evaluate their learning and used the BRM model to test those systems. 

Supporting resources

This case study focuses on how North Tyneside Council have used a development web to help their social workers target, track and evidence their CPD.

They initially looked at how the outcomes star model could be used to measure the impact of CPD. This helped them to create the development web, which is a personal development planner which helps to target, track and evidence CPD. 

Supporting resources

Top tips for measuring impact of CPD

We have produced top tips to help you get started. The tips can be applied to all the models used to measure the impact of your CPD activity. 

Core principles for CPD

Our core principles can help you to provide effective CPD for social work workforce. 

We have also produced case studies and an infographic to show how you can make effective use of the principles

The Research Knowledge Base (RKB)

The Research Knowledge Base (RKB) is a free, online, searchable database of information, which includes links to over 1700 documents.

It helps those working in adult social care find workforce information, quickly and easily.

You can use the RKB to search for resources which relate to “measuring impact”. To do this you will need to register your details.