CPD for Community Workers in Australia

Understand the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) landscape for community workers in Australia, including annual CPD requirements, what qualifies as CPD, and more.  

Last reviewed: 9 December 2024

Related articles: CPD for Psychologists in Australia, CPD for Occupational Therapists in Australia, CPD for Social Workers in Australia.

An overview of CPD requirements for community workers in Australia

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) refers to the process through which professionals maintain and enhance their knowledge, skills, and abilities throughout their careers. In Australia, the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirements for community workers are set by Community Work Australia (for brevity, we will refer to Community Work Australia as CWA throughout this page), the only national organisation for qualified community workers in the country. CWA registered members must engage in CPD to maintain their eligibility for membership and ensure they stay up to date with current practices.

CWA members are responsible for their own professional development consistent with the Community Work Australia Member CPD Policy. By completing minimum CPD hour requirements, CWA members are eligible to retain their membership:

• Community workers must complete a minimum of 20 hours of CPD per year. During their membership renewal process, members will be asked to provide details and evidence of their professional development from the previous year.

• CWA endorses relevant CPD training opportunities. Non-endorsed activities can also accrue CPD hours, and community workers are encouraged use their own judgement to choose activities that have not been pre-approved by CWA but address their CPD needs.

• Professional development can be broader than training; CWA encourages members to think creatively about how they can develop their knowledge and skills.

For further details, refer to the Community Work Australia Member CPD Policy and ethics standards.

Note: Community work encompasses a broad range of professional titles, such as aged care worker, case worker, case manager, NDIS support coordinator, and even counsellor and social worker (see a comprehensive list here). This articles focuses specifically on CPD requirements by CWA.

What is considered Continuing Professional Development (CPD)?

The CWA Member CPD Policy broadly defines CPD as any activity that a community worker participates in (after they have completed their formal education) which contributes to their professional learning and development. The activity does not need to be specifically endorsed or pre-approved by any particular body. Learning and development aspects of a community worker’s role may be considered as CPD, such as receiving and/or providing supervision.

• Learning formats: CPD can be completed in a variety of formats, including online courses and events, in-person conferences and workshops, self-directed learning (e.g. reading journal articles, listening to podcasts), reflective practice, and more. The following list of acceptable CPD activities is available from the Community Work Australia Member CPD Policy:
  
  
  • Attending workshops, seminars or conferences*
  • Completing short courses, including online
  • Delivering presentations at seminars or conferences
  • Gaining additional formal qualifications
  • Participating in relevant workplace training
  • Writing peer reviewed or published papers
  • Listening to webinars or podcasts related to best practice in community services
  • Studying publications such as research articles and textbooks (study-based activities)*
  • Participating in professional supervision, either as supervisor or supervisee, that is oriented to professional development (not routine updates)*
  • Participating in network or community meetings where the processes are conducive to professional development (this excludes meetings undertaken as part of a job role)*

• Learning sources: Community workers can access CPD activities from numerous sources including specialist training providers (e.g. Mental Health Academy), industry associations (e.g. CWA), publications (e.g. peer-reviewed journal and industry magazines), universities and accredited colleges, and more. 

*To ensure that practitioners explore a range of training, CWA members can claim a maximum of 10 hours for each conference and no more than 4 hours for supervision and study-based activities.

Reporting CPD as a CWA member

CWA members are required to log in to their online member account (on the CWA website) and complete the My CPD logbook annually, as part of their membership renewal process.

Members must enter the details of their CPD activities and upload relevant evidence. Examples of evidence of completion may include:

• Certificates of attendance or completion
• Receipts associated with CPD activity enrolments or registrations
• Analyses and reviews of attended CPD activities
• Reports by supervisors or consultants

CPD activities should be recorded in terms of participation hours (for example, excluding breaks during in-person meetings or conferences). As part of the CWA renewal process, members’ CPD records will be audited and members may be asked to provide additional evidence (for more detail, refer to the CWA  Member CPD Policy).

How CPD contributes to better client outcomes

Numerous studies have demonstrated how CPD contributes to better client outcomes for mental and allied health professionals. We cover some of the evidence below:

• Enhancing knowledge and skills. A study by Truscott et al. (2011) found that psychologists who engage in CPD are better equipped to incorporate evidence-based practices, leading to improved client outcomes. Research by Bearman et al. (2013) indicates that ongoing training and development are critical in maintaining the quality and efficacy of psychological interventions.

• Improving competency and confidence. A study by Ilgen et al. (2010) showed that CPD helps psychologists develop a broader skill set, leading to more effective problem-solving and intervention strategies. Dunsmuir et al. (2011) demonstrated that CPD contributes to psychologists feeling more competent and confident, which positively impacts their interactions with clients.
  
• Ethical and legal awareness. A study by Pope and Vasquez (2016) highlighted that CPD activities help psychologists stay updated on ethical standards, reducing the risk of ethical violations that can negatively impact client outcomes. Research by Handelsman et al. (2015) found that CPD contributes to a better understanding of legal issues, which is crucial for maintaining client trust and avoiding legal pitfalls.
  
• Specialisation and advanced skills. A study by Morrow-Bradley and Elliott (1986) found that psychologists with specialised training through CPD reported better client outcomes compared to those without such training. Weisz et al. (2006) demonstrated that advanced training and specialization through CPD lead to more tailored and effective treatments, particularly for complex cases.
  
• Networking and professional support. Research by Norcross and Guy (2007) found that professional networking through CPD activities contributes to better client outcomes by fostering a collaborative and supportive professional community. A study by Tharenou et al. (2007) showed that CPD-related networking can lead to shared knowledge and best practices, further improving the quality of psychological services.

Furthermore, a recent synthesis of eight new systematic reviews of the literature about the effectiveness of CPD published since 2003 concluded that “CPD is able to improve clinician performance and patient health outcomes” (Cervero & Gaines, 2015).

Popular CPD courses and training undertaken by community workers

Mental Health Academy’s 500+ CPD courses cover a wide range of topics relevant to community work practice. Some of the most popular MHA CPD courses undertaken by community workers include:

Evidence-based therapies and clinical interventions

• Helping Clients Deal with Problem Anger: Understanding and De-escalating Anger
• Using Internal Family Systems Therapy for Overcoming Addictive Behaviour Patterns
• Recovery-Oriented Cognitive Therapy with Adolescents: Aspirations and Empowerment
• Treating Anxiety with Motivational Interviewing
• Helping Clients with Hoarding Disorder
• Interviewing for Happiness: How to Weave Positive Psychology Magic into the Initial Clinical Interview
• How Behavioural Activation Can Help Your Depressed Clients

Families, parenting and couples

• Coercive Control: Recognise, Manage, Change
• Silent Killer: Covert & Overt Relationship Distress
• The Parenting Revolution: How to Guide Parents to the Most Impactful Family Solutions
• Helping Clients to Navigate the Shock of a Relationship Breakup
• Working with Men in Distressed and Disrupted Intimate Partner Relationships
• Providing Therapy for Non-Traditional Romantic Relationships

Children and adolescents

• Working with Paediatric Anxiety
• Young Men and Suicide: A Contemporary Lens On An Age-Old Problem
• Practical Strategies to Enhance Sensory Regulation in Children
• Recovery-Oriented Cognitive Therapy with Adolescents: Aspirations and Empowerment
• What School Counsellors Need to Know About Behavioural Addictions
• Clinical Work with Gang Youth: Research and Applications
• Universal Mental Health Screening
• Setting Children Up For Success: Building Social/Emotional and Academic Competence Through Evidence-based SEL Programs
• Suicide in Schools: Prevention and Intervention

Diversity and multicultural competence

• Working with ADHD in Adults
• Working with ADHD in Children and Adolescents
• Autistic Patients: The Need for Providers to Embrace Different Thinking
• PTSD in Autistic Adults: Understanding the Causes, Symptoms, & Support for Suicide Prevention
• OnTrac: A CBT Based Manualised Group Program for Adolescents with ADHD
• Deaf Cultural Competency Training for Clinicians
• Anti-Ableism and Accessibility: Thinking Outside the Box
• Social and Emotional Wellbeing of Indigenous Peoples in Australia
• Professional Counsellors as Agents of Change: Countering Educational Hegemony
• Cultural Humility: Maybe We’re Doing It Wrong
• 5 Ways to Decolonise Your Mental Health Practice
• Sitting with Aboriginal Clients: Appropriate Modalities
• Working with Transgender Youth: Implications for Professional Counsellors

Suicide prevention and risk assessment

• Risk Assessments and Safety Plans
• Social Determinants of Suicide
• STEPS: Steps To Evaluate Progression of Suicidality
• The Neuroscience of Suicidal Ideation and Behaviour
• How To Develop a Suicide Postvention Plan in Your Organisation
• Understanding and Preventing Suicide in Older Adulthood
• Post-Traumatic Growth After Suicide Loss Across the Lifespan
• When Suicidal Thoughts Persist: Treating Chronic Ideation

Addiction

• Wellness-Based Addictions Counselling
• Understanding the Biopsychosocial Model of Addiction
• Conceptualising and Treating Sex Addiction
• Digital ‘Addictions’ to Digital Wellbeing: Understanding and Managing Our Use of Technology
• Addressing Internet Gaming Addiction in Clinical Work
• Trauma and Addiction: Taking Motivational Interviewing to the Next Level
• Using Motivational Interviewing with Alcohol Dependence and Depression
• A Narrative Approach to Working with Sobriety and Life Transitions

Trauma-informed care

• Principles of Trauma-informed Practice
• Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy (EFIT) for Trauma
• Interrupting Intergenerational Trauma in Substance Use Disorders
• Trauma Informed Care: Mindfulness-Based Treatment for Post-Traumatic Growth
• Understanding Ambiguous Loss
• Understanding the Link Between Trauma and Addiction
• Post Traumatic Growth and Psychedelics
• Incorporating Race-based Stress Into the Discussion About ACEs

Therapist self-care

• Creative Arts Approaches for Reflective Practice and Self-Care in Counselling
• Clinicians as Suicide Loss Survivors: Postvention for Caregivers
• Understanding and Preventing Compassion Fatigue
• Mindfulness Essentials for Therapist Self-care

Visit the MHA catalogue for a full list of available courses, and become a member to access over 750 CPD hours (on-demand, 24/7) for less than $1 day.

References

• Truscott, D., Swartz, K., & O’Donnell, K. (2011). Continuing professional development: A benefit to the entire profession. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 42(4), 393-398.
• Bearman, S. K., Wadkins, M., Bailin, A., & Doctoroff, G. (2013). Pre-practicum training in professional psychology to close the research-to-practice gap: Changing the culture of training. Training and Education in Professional Psychology, 7(1), 22-31.
• Ilgen, D. R., Hollenbeck, J. R., Johnson, M., & Jundt, D. (2010). Teams in organizations: From input-process-output models to IMOI models. Annual Review of Psychology, 56(1), 517-543.
• Dunsmuir, S., Atkinson, C., Lang, J., & Warhurst, A. (2011). Supporting the professional development of educational psychologists through a professional practice journal. Educational Psychology in Practice, 27(3), 285-306.
• Handelsman, M. M., Gottlieb, M. C., & Knapp, S. (2015). Positive ethics: Themes and variations. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 46(3), 149-153.
• Pope, K. S., & Vasquez, M. J. T. (2016). Ethics in psychotherapy and counseling: A practical guide (5th ed.). Wiley.
• R.M. Cervero and J.K. Gaines, ‘The impact of CME on position performance and patient healthcare outcomes: an updated synthesis of systematic reviews’, Journal of continuing education in the health professions , vol. 35, no. 2, 2015, pp. 131-138.
• Morrow-Bradley, C., & Elliott, R. (1986). Utilization of psychotherapy research by practicing psychotherapists. American Psychologist, 41(2), 188-197.
• Weisz, J. R., Weiss, B., Han, S. S., Granger, D. A., & Morton, T. (2006). Effects of psychotherapy with children and adolescents revisited: A meta-analysis of treatment outcome studies. Psychological Bulletin, 132(1), 132-149.