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short periods of paid leave to meet Home Office training requirements
before gaining certificates; and 1 staff member has been
granted two months paid leave to complete the practical part of
her Social Science Certificate.
We did not take part in the Emergency Child Care Course last
year, but it has been agreed that we accept a trainee.to begin
in September next year, and candidates are about to be interviewed.
The one staff member who joined us under this scheme
two years ago is successfully completing his training.
Secondment is the subject of an additional report to be presented
to the Administrative Services Group Committee.
19. Student practical training placement in conjunction with Universities
and Polytechnics is an important part of our training programme,
and this has been much reduced during the year because
of the needs of our own staff.
Senior and experienced staff members have attended sessions preparing
themselves to make an effective contribution as soon as
possible. Apart from anything else, this is a useful way of
attracting trained staff, both field and residential, to the service.
Meanwhile, working relationships have been maintained with
Universities and Polytechnics with a view to increasing our contribution
when we are able to offer training experience of a
high order.
20. The Training Officer has taken part in career conventions, in
talks to voluntary groups, and has helped with a youth service
residential course on aspects of local government.
21. The Staff Section has continued to offer administrative support
to the Training Officer in co-ordinating training and in maintaining
records, as well as handling applications for grants
from the Local Government Training Board. The Training Officer
is engaged in the L.G.T.B. Course for Training Officers who need
to be registered with the Board. A joint library service is
co¬ordinated through the Secretariat and the Training Officer
has oversight of books purchased for this purpose, as well as
those purchased by staff on training courses.
D.26