# Reflectora, full text > Log CPD activities with reflections, see your credits in every 12-month period, find the date you would drop under 30, and print an audit pack. Private, in your browser. Reflectora is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to CORU, the Health and Social Care Professionals Council, any registration board or any professional body. Reflectora is a record keeping aid; CORU's current guidance governs, and only your registration board decides whether a record is compliant. Everything below is our own summary of the regulator's published pages; the pages and the registrant portal win if they differ. Site: https://reflectora-web.pages.dev/ # The rules and audit periods, as counted Last reviewed 28 September 2026. ## The rules as the counter applies them - At least 30 CPD credits in every 12-month period, for everyone on a register, whatever their work pattern. - One hour of new or enhanced learning is one credit; any fraction of an hour may be claimed; the registrant decides the number. - Credits cannot be carried forward to the next period. - An audit period is 12 or 24 months; the counter splits it into 12-month blocks from its start, each needing 30. - A 12-month period ending on a date starts the day after the same date one year earlier (29 February is taken as 28 February). ## Audit periods by profession | Profession | Audit period | Audit from | Months | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Social care workers](https://reflectora-web.pages.dev/professions/social-care-workers/) | 1 December 2025 to 30 November 2026 | 1 December 2026 | 12 | | [Social workers](https://reflectora-web.pages.dev/professions/social-workers/) | 1 June 2025 to 31 May 2027 | 1 June 2027 | 24 | | [Physiotherapists](https://reflectora-web.pages.dev/professions/physiotherapists/) | 1 October 2025 to 30 September 2027 | 1 October 2027 | 24 | | [Occupational therapists](https://reflectora-web.pages.dev/professions/occupational-therapists/) | 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2027 | 1 April 2027 | 24 | | [Speech and language therapists](https://reflectora-web.pages.dev/professions/speech-and-language-therapists/) | 1 November 2024 to 31 October 2026 | 1 November 2026 | 24 | | [Dietitians](https://reflectora-web.pages.dev/professions/dietitians/) | 1 November 2024 to 31 October 2026 | 1 November 2026 | 24 | | [Radiographers](https://reflectora-web.pages.dev/professions/radiographers/) | 1 November 2024 to 31 October 2026 | 1 November 2026 | 24 | | [Optometrists and dispensing opticians](https://reflectora-web.pages.dev/professions/optometrists-and-dispensing-opticians/) | 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2027 | 1 April 2027 | 24 | | [Medical scientists](https://reflectora-web.pages.dev/professions/medical-scientists/) | 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2026 | 1 April 2026 | 24 | | [Podiatrists](https://reflectora-web.pages.dev/professions/podiatrists/) | 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2026 | 1 April 2026 | 24 | | Clinical biochemists | Not published | Not published | | | Counsellors | Not published | Not published | | | Psychotherapists | Not published | Not published | | | Psychologists | Not published | Not published | | | Orthoptists | Not published | Not published | | | Physical therapists | Not published | Not published | | | Radiation therapists | Not published | Not published | | ## Sources - [CPD Audit](https://www.coru.ie/health-and-social-care-professionals/continuing-professional-development/cpd-audit/), CORU, page undated; audit schedule table as shown on the read date, read 28 September 2026 (fetched as a web page). Used for: the minimum of 30 credits in every 12-month period, the four parts of a record, random selection through the registrant portal, and the audit period and audit date for each profession. - [CPD General Questions (FAQ)](https://www.coru.ie/health-and-social-care-professionals/continuing-professional-development/cpd-faqs/), CORU, page undated, read 28 September 2026 (fetched as a web page). Used for: one hour of new or enhanced learning equals one credit, any fraction of an hour may be attributed, the registrant decides the credits, no carry forward, the same requirement on leave, part-time or a career break, and keeping records while on the register. - [CPD Audit and Audit Deferral FAQs](https://coru.ie/health-and-social-care-professionals/continuing-professional-development/cpd-audit-faqs/), CORU, page undated, read 28 September 2026 (fetched as a web page). Used for: selection of a percentage of the eligible register, 30 days to submit, deferral grounds and timing, and the eligibility of people who joined mid-period. - [Continuing Professional Development Audit: Guidelines for Registrants](https://coru.ie/files-education/cpd/coru-cpd-audit-guidelines.pdf), CORU, document undated, read 28 September 2026 (PDF downloaded and read as text). Used for: audit periods of 12 or 24 months, 30 credits in every 12-month period linked to the registration renewal date, what a submitted record contains, no service user or colleague identifiers, supporting documents kept but not submitted, and the two outcomes. - [Guidance on Continuing Professional Development, Social Workers](https://coru.ie/files-education/cpd/swrb-guidance-on-continuing-professional-development.pdf), CORU, approved July 2019, read 28 September 2026 (PDF downloaded and read as text). Used for: the review, plan, implement, evaluate and reflect cycle of CPD. - [Social Care Workers CPD Record Exemplar](https://coru.ie/files-education/cpd/scwrb-social-care-workers-cpd-record-exemplar.pdf), CORU, version issued May 2023, read 28 September 2026 (PDF downloaded and read as text (headings only; the layout is not reproduced)). Used for: the kinds of information a record asks for per activity (dates, type, credits, what was learned, impact on practice), paraphrased. # How the 30 CPD credits in every 12 months rule works URL: https://reflectora-web.pages.dev/guide/30-credit-rolling-year/ Last reviewed: 28 September 2026 Every registered health and social care professional in Ireland needs at least 30 CPD credits in every 12-month period, where one credit is one hour of new or enhanced learning. An audit looks back over an audit period of 12 or 24 months and checks 30 credits in each 12-month block of it. Credits never carry forward, so a busy year does not cover a quiet one. ## The rule in plain words CORU's CPD Audit page says a random selection of registrants will be asked to submit a CPD record showing a minimum of 30 CPD credits in every 12-month period. The same page gives each profession an audit period and the date the audit call starts. The CPD FAQ adds that the same 30 credits apply to everyone on the register, whatever their work pattern, and that credits cannot be carried forward to the next period. Two readings of "every 12-month period" matter in practice. The audit guidelines link the 12-month periods to your registration renewal date, so a 24-month audit period is two back to back blocks of 12 months, each needing 30. A stricter reading is any 12 months at all: the 12 months ending on any day you pick. A log that meets the stricter reading always meets the block reading, so it is the safe one to watch. ## How a 12-month period is counted A 12-month period ending on a date starts on the day after the same date one year earlier. The period ending 30 November 2026 runs from 1 December 2025. An activity counts when its date falls on or between those two days. Leap years need one rule, and we state it so the count is repeatable: - The 12 months ending 28 February 2027 start on 1 March 2026. - The 12 months ending 29 February 2028 start on 1 March 2027: the earlier date is taken as 28 February, and the period starts the day after. - An activity spread over several days is best logged on the day it finished, or as one entry per day, so it cannot sit half in one period and half in another. The audit blocks follow the published audit period. For social care workers that is one block, 1 December 2025 to 30 November 2026. For physiotherapists, 1 October 2025 to 30 September 2027 is two blocks, each 12 months long. The [audit periods by profession](https://reflectora-web.pages.dev/professions/) page lists every profession the audit page schedules. ## Worked example A social care worker logs five activities in the audit period 1 December 2025 to 30 November 2026: 7 credits on 10 December 2025, then 6, 3.5, 8 and 6.5 credits later in the year. The block holds 31 credits, so the audit block is met. Now look forward. If nothing new is logged, the 12 months ending 10 December 2026 start on 11 December 2025, which is the day after the first activity. That 7-credit course drops out and the total falls to 24. The rolling reading dips under 30 on 10 December 2026, just ten days after the audit period closes. Nothing is wrong with the audited block, but the next block has started with a gap to close. This is the date the counter shows as "you would first fall under 30", and it is the reason to log steadily rather than in one burst before an audit. ## Common mistakes - Counting a calendar year (January to December) when your audit period runs from another month. Check your profession's dates. - Treating 60 credits across a 24-month period as enough. Each 12-month block needs its own 30; 50 in the first year and 10 in the second is short. - Carrying surplus credits forward. The FAQ says they cannot be transferred to the next period. - Counting hours of attendance instead of hours of new or enhanced learning. Breaks and revision of what you already knew are not credits. - Logging activities only when an audit notice arrives. You then have 30 days to write reflections for up to two years of learning. ## Frequently asked questions **Is it 30 credits per year or 30 credits in any 12 months?** The published wording is at least 30 CPD credits in every 12-month period. The audit guidelines link those periods to your registration renewal date, which gives 12-month blocks inside the audit period. Keeping 30 in any 12 months is the stricter reading and satisfies both. **Can I carry extra credits into the next period?** No. The CPD FAQ says credits cannot be transferred or carried forward to the next time period. Extra credits in one block do not reduce what the next block needs. **What if my audit period is 24 months?** Then the audit looks at two 12-month blocks and each needs at least 30 credits. A record with all its credits in the first year would be short in the second. ## Sources - [CPD Audit](https://www.coru.ie/health-and-social-care-professionals/continuing-professional-development/cpd-audit/), CORU, page undated; audit schedule table as shown on the read date, read 28 September 2026. Used for: the minimum of 30 credits in every 12-month period, the four parts of a record, random selection through the registrant portal, and the audit period and audit date for each profession - [CPD General Questions (FAQ)](https://www.coru.ie/health-and-social-care-professionals/continuing-professional-development/cpd-faqs/), CORU, page undated, read 28 September 2026. Used for: one hour of new or enhanced learning equals one credit, any fraction of an hour may be attributed, the registrant decides the credits, no carry forward, the same requirement on leave, part-time or a career break, and keeping records while on the register - [Continuing Professional Development Audit: Guidelines for Registrants](https://coru.ie/files-education/cpd/coru-cpd-audit-guidelines.pdf), CORU, document undated, read 28 September 2026. Used for: audit periods of 12 or 24 months, 30 credits in every 12-month period linked to the registration renewal date, what a submitted record contains, no service user or colleague identifiers, supporting documents kept but not submitted, and the two outcomes # What counts as a CPD credit, and how to claim fractions URL: https://reflectora-web.pages.dev/guide/what-counts-as-a-cpd-credit/ Last reviewed: 28 September 2026 One CPD credit is one hour of new or enhanced learning. You decide how many credits an activity earned, you may claim any fraction of an hour, and the activity does not have to be a course: reading, supervision, work-based learning and unexpected learning can all count if they gave you new or better knowledge or skill that you brought into your practice. ## The definition, and who decides CORU's CPD FAQ says one hour of new or enhanced learning equals one CPD credit, that you decide how many credits to apply to the learning you achieved, and that any fraction of an hour can be attributed. The regulator does not accredit courses, so a certificate that says "6 CPD points" is the provider's figure, not a rule. What counts is the learning you can describe. Two consequences follow. First, credits and time are not the same thing: a six-hour study day with a long lunch and a morning of material you already knew might be worth four or five credits. Second, the audit guidelines note that the more credits you give an activity, the more your reflection should show about what you learned and how it changed your practice. ## Kinds of activity that can count The FAQ is clear that courses and workshops are not the only acceptable CPD. In our log the type is one of five plain categories, our own grouping rather than an official list: - Formal course or education: a module, a course, a conference session, a certified training day. - Work-based learning: supervision, reflective case review, shadowing, learning a new procedure at work. - Self-directed learning: reading research or guidance, an online module, a podcast you took notes on. - Professional activity: preparing teaching, presenting, sitting on a working group, supervising students on placement where it gave you new learning. - Other learning: anything that gave you new or enhanced learning and does not fit above, including learning you did not plan. Attending the same activity twice gives credits the second time only for what was new. Being present is not the test; learning is. The type you choose does not change the credits. It helps you see the balance of your year at a glance: a log that is all formal courses, or all reading, is a prompt to ask whether your learning matches the needs you wrote in your plan. The regulator does not require a mix, but a varied record is usually a more honest picture of how people actually learn at work. ## Worked example Three activities in one month, typed into the credits box the way people usually write them: Table: Credits as typed and as counted | Activity | Typed | Counted | | --- | --- | --- | | A 90-minute webinar, all new material | 1.5 | 1.5 | | A 20-minute journal article with notes | 1/3 | 0.33 | | A study day, 9.30 to 4.30 with an hour for lunch, one hour of it revision | 5 | 5 | The month adds 6.83 credits. The log stores each amount to the hundredth of a credit, so a third of an hour is kept as 0.33 and totals never drift. The study day is six hours of attendance but five credits, because the hour of revision gave no new learning. ## Common mistakes - Copying the provider's CPD points without asking whether every hour was new or enhanced learning. - Leaving out short learning. Twenty minutes of focused reading is a third of a credit and adds up across a year. - Claiming the whole of a working day of supervision as CPD. Only the part that gave you new learning counts. - Claiming the same course twice at full credits because you attended it again. - Giving an activity many credits with a one-line reflection. The reflection should grow with the claim. ## Frequently asked questions **Can I claim half a credit?** Yes. The CPD FAQ says any fraction of an hour can be attributed to a learning activity, so 0.5 for half an hour of new learning, or 1.5 for an hour and a half, is fine. **Does the regulator approve courses for CPD credits?** The FAQ says the regulator does not accredit CPD activities. You judge the credits yourself from the new or enhanced learning you achieved. **Does learning I did not plan count?** Unexpected learning can count if it gave you new or enhanced learning and you can describe it and how it changed your practice. Log it with the date it happened. ## Sources - [CPD General Questions (FAQ)](https://www.coru.ie/health-and-social-care-professionals/continuing-professional-development/cpd-faqs/), CORU, page undated, read 28 September 2026. Used for: one hour of new or enhanced learning equals one credit, any fraction of an hour may be attributed, the registrant decides the credits, no carry forward, the same requirement on leave, part-time or a career break, and keeping records while on the register - [Continuing Professional Development Audit: Guidelines for Registrants](https://coru.ie/files-education/cpd/coru-cpd-audit-guidelines.pdf), CORU, document undated, read 28 September 2026. Used for: audit periods of 12 or 24 months, 30 credits in every 12-month period linked to the registration renewal date, what a submitted record contains, no service user or colleague identifiers, supporting documents kept but not submitted, and the two outcomes - [Social Care Workers CPD Record Exemplar](https://coru.ie/files-education/cpd/scwrb-social-care-workers-cpd-record-exemplar.pdf), CORU, version issued May 2023, read 28 September 2026. Used for: the kinds of information a record asks for per activity (dates, type, credits, what was learned, impact on practice), paraphrased # How to write a CPD reflection that stands up at audit URL: https://reflectora-web.pages.dev/guide/writing-cpd-reflections/ Last reviewed: 28 September 2026 For each activity, say what new or enhanced learning you gained, how you brought it into your practice, what difference it made, and what you think about it now. An audit checks that these are present for every activity and that the depth matches the credits claimed; it is not a marking of the quality of your learning. Never name a service user or a colleague. ## Write the reflective fields for one activity Do this within a week of the activity, while you still remember what was new. Each step fills one field in [your CPD log](https://reflectora-web.pages.dev/log/). 1. **Name the learning need.** Write one or two sentences on the gap or goal in your practice that led you to the activity. 2. **Say what you learned.** Describe the new or enhanced knowledge or skill in your own words, not the course outline. 3. **Say how you used it.** Write what you did differently at work because of it, with a date or a setting, and no names. 4. **Evaluate the effect.** Say what difference it made to your work or to the people you serve, or what you are still watching for. 5. **Reflect.** Write what you think now: what worked, what did not, and what you will learn next. 6. **Match depth to credits.** Read it back against the credits you claimed and add detail where a large claim has a thin account. ## What the audit actually reads The audit guidelines list what a submitted record must contain: the learning activities that make up at least 30 credits in every 12-month period; your evaluation and reflection of the new or enhanced learning and its impact on your practice, for each activity; your review of learning needs for the next 12 months; and your planned activities for the next 12 months. A record missing any of these is sent back once for the missing parts. The review is of your record, not of you. The guidelines say it checks that you have a system and a process to keep your skills and knowledge up to date, and that it is not a qualitative assessment of the activities you chose. The FAQ adds that reflective practice does not always have to be positive: a course that turned out to be less useful than hoped is still a valid reflection if you say what you took from it. ## Keeping people out of it The guidelines are firm that nothing in a record should identify a service user, a colleague or any other person. Write "a young person in residential care" rather than a name or initials, and "a colleague on the team" rather than a job title that points to one person. Our log reminds you of this beside every form. Plagiarism and false declaration are treated as possible professional misconduct. Write your reflections yourself, in your own words. Reflectora never writes, suggests or completes reflection text. ## Worked example A speech and language therapist has 4 activities in the period, from 1 to 6 credits. Before printing, the audit pack page counts the empty fields: evaluation is empty on 2 activities and reflection on 1. Those are the gaps an audit would send back. The 6-credit dysphagia update deserves the fullest account: a six-hour claim with two lines of reflection is the mismatch the guidelines warn about. The one-credit case discussion can be brief, as long as it still names what was new and how it was used. ## Common mistakes - Copying the course description into "what you learned". Write what was new to you. - Leaving the evaluation empty because the effect is not known yet. Say what you are watching for. - Naming a service user, a family or a colleague, even by initials. - Writing only positive reflections. Saying what did not help is valid and often more useful. - Writing every reflection the night before a deadline, when the detail has gone. ## Frequently asked questions **How long should a CPD reflection be?** There is no word count. The audit guidelines say the more credits you assign to an activity, the greater the reflection should be, so a large claim needs a fuller account than a short one. **Will the audit judge whether my learning was good enough?** No. The guidelines say the review checks that you have a system and process for CPD and is not a qualitative assessment of the activities you chose. The outcome is compliant or non-compliant. **Can a reflection be negative?** Yes. The FAQ says reflective practice does not always have to be positive. Say what you learned, including what did not work for you and why. ## Sources - [Continuing Professional Development Audit: Guidelines for Registrants](https://coru.ie/files-education/cpd/coru-cpd-audit-guidelines.pdf), CORU, document undated, read 28 September 2026. Used for: audit periods of 12 or 24 months, 30 credits in every 12-month period linked to the registration renewal date, what a submitted record contains, no service user or colleague identifiers, supporting documents kept but not submitted, and the two outcomes - [CPD General Questions (FAQ)](https://www.coru.ie/health-and-social-care-professionals/continuing-professional-development/cpd-faqs/), CORU, page undated, read 28 September 2026. Used for: one hour of new or enhanced learning equals one credit, any fraction of an hour may be attributed, the registrant decides the credits, no carry forward, the same requirement on leave, part-time or a career break, and keeping records while on the register - [Guidance on Continuing Professional Development, Social Workers](https://coru.ie/files-education/cpd/swrb-guidance-on-continuing-professional-development.pdf), CORU, approved July 2019, read 28 September 2026. Used for: the review, plan, implement, evaluate and reflect cycle of CPD # The first CPD audit for social care workers, from 1 December 2026 URL: https://reflectora-web.pages.dev/guide/social-care-worker-first-audit/ Last reviewed: 28 September 2026 Social care workers will be audited for CPD for the first time from 1 December 2026. The audit period is 12 months, 1 December 2025 to 30 November 2026, and only activities in that period can be submitted if you are selected. You need at least 30 credits in it, with the four parts of the record written up. ## What the audit page says CORU's CPD Audit page, read on 28 September 2026, lists social care workers with an audit period of 1 December 2025 to 30 November 2026 and an audit date of 1 December 2026. It says this first audit is based on a 12-month audit period and that only activities undertaken in those dates can be submitted if selected. Most other professions on the page have 24-month periods, so this first one is shorter. Selection is random, from those who were on the register for the whole audit period. The audit FAQ says a percentage of the eligible register is called, that selection can also be targeted, and that anyone called has 30 days to submit their record through the registrant portal. ## Who is in scope - Registered for the whole of 1 December 2025 to 30 November 2026: eligible for the routine audit. - Joined the register part way through the period: not eligible for this routine audit, but the guidelines say to start CPD without delay, because the next period will count. - On maternity or adoptive leave, statutory leave, a career break or long-term illness: still covered by the same 30 credits, but you can ask for a deferral if you are called (see the guide on leave). ## Using the weeks that are left If you are short, the most useful thing is to log what you have already done. Many social care workers attend training, supervision and team learning that never made it into a record. Go back through the year: training records, emails, rosters and your own notes will jog your memory. Each activity needs its date, its credits and the reflective fields. - Supervision and reflective practice sessions where you learned something new count as work-based learning. - Reading guidance or research that changed how you work counts as self-directed learning. - Mandatory training counts for the part that was new or enhanced learning for you. - Then plan what is still needed, spread over the remaining months rather than in the last week. Remember the other two parts too. Before 30 November 2026, write a short review of your learning needs for the next 12 months and a plan of the activities that would meet them. They take an hour, and a record without them is incomplete. ## Worked example On 28 September 2026 a social care worker has 18 credits logged in the audit period. The counter shows 2 months and 3 days left until 30 November 2026, so 12 more credits are needed, about 4 a month. If a notice arrives on 1 December 2026, 30 days later is 31 December 2026. Writing reflections for a whole year inside those 30 days is the hard part, which is why the log asks for them as you go. ## Common mistakes - Counting learning from before 1 December 2025. The audit page says only activities in the period can be submitted. - Waiting for a notice before writing anything up. You get 30 days, not the year. - Leaving out the review of learning needs and the plan for the next 12 months. They are two of the four parts. - Naming residents, young people, families or colleagues in a reflection. - Assuming a certificate is the record. Supporting documents are kept, not submitted. ## Frequently asked questions **When is the first CPD audit for social care workers?** The audit page lists an audit date of 1 December 2026 for social care workers, over the audit period 1 December 2025 to 30 November 2026. **I registered in March 2026. Will I be audited?** Only registrants on the register for the entire audit period are eligible for the routine audit. You would not be eligible this time, but you should start logging CPD now for the next period. **How long do I have to submit if I am selected?** The audit FAQ says registrants called for audit are given 30 days to submit their record, through the registrant portal. ## Sources - [CPD Audit](https://www.coru.ie/health-and-social-care-professionals/continuing-professional-development/cpd-audit/), CORU, page undated; audit schedule table as shown on the read date, read 28 September 2026. Used for: the minimum of 30 credits in every 12-month period, the four parts of a record, random selection through the registrant portal, and the audit period and audit date for each profession - [CPD Audit and Audit Deferral FAQs](https://coru.ie/health-and-social-care-professionals/continuing-professional-development/cpd-audit-faqs/), CORU, page undated, read 28 September 2026. Used for: selection of a percentage of the eligible register, 30 days to submit, deferral grounds and timing, and the eligibility of people who joined mid-period - [Continuing Professional Development Audit: Guidelines for Registrants](https://coru.ie/files-education/cpd/coru-cpd-audit-guidelines.pdf), CORU, document undated, read 28 September 2026. Used for: audit periods of 12 or 24 months, 30 credits in every 12-month period linked to the registration renewal date, what a submitted record contains, no service user or colleague identifiers, supporting documents kept but not submitted, and the two outcomes # CPD on leave, part-time or on a career break URL: https://reflectora-web.pages.dev/guide/cpd-on-leave-or-part-time/ Last reviewed: 28 September 2026 The requirement does not shrink: the CPD FAQ says the same 30 credits in every 12-month period apply to everyone on the register, whatever their work situation, including part-time work, maternity leave, statutory leave and career breaks. What changes is the audit: if you are called while on leave or ill, you can ask for a deferral, and a deferred registrant is selected in the next audit. ## The position, from the published pages The FAQ answers the leave question directly: the same 30 credits every 12 months apply regardless of your work situation. There is no pro rata figure for part-time work. The audit guidelines recognise that some people cannot provide a record because of maternity or adoptive leave, career breaks, long-term illness or other statutory leave, and allow a deferral request, decided case by case. The audit FAQ adds the timing: a deferral can only be asked for after you have been called, you have 30 working days to send the deferral form through the portal, a decision can take up to eight weeks, approval is not guaranteed, and an accepted deferral means automatic selection in the next audit period. If a deferral is refused, the guidelines say you have 30 days to submit. ## Planning around leave - Front-load before leave where you can, so the block that leave falls in is closer to 30. - Keep low-effort learning going if you want to: reading, podcasts and online modules count if they give new or enhanced learning. - Write reflections before leave starts, while the detail is fresh. - If you are called while on leave, request a deferral promptly rather than submitting a short record. If you are registered but not practising at all, the FAQ has its own question for your situation; read that answer on the regulator's FAQ page. The general statement still stands: the 30 credits apply to everyone on the register, and the requirement follows registration rather than employment. ## Coming back to work The first weeks back are a good time for CPD that counts: new policies, changed procedures and updated guidance are all new or enhanced learning for someone who has been away. Log them as you meet them, with what changed in your practice as a result. Look at the counter on your first day back. It shows the credits in each 12-month block of your audit period and the date you would fall under 30 on the rolling count, so you can see how much of the gap is still open and how many months are left to close it. If a block has already closed short, write a line in your review of learning needs about why, and plan the next one. ## Worked example A physiotherapist's audit period has 2 blocks: 1 October 2025 to 30 September 2026, and 1 October 2026 to 30 September 2027. She logs four activities before starting maternity leave in May 2026. The counter shows 22 credits in the first block, 8 short of 30, and that block has closed. Nothing about her leave changes the number. If she is selected when the period ends, the leave is the ground for a deferral request. If she is not selected, the gap is still worth closing in the second block, because the next audit may look at it. ## Common mistakes - Assuming part-time work halves the requirement. It does not. - Submitting a short record while on leave instead of asking for a deferral. - Asking for a deferral before being called. The audit FAQ says the request comes after notification. - Letting reflections lapse during leave for learning you did before it. - Forgetting that an accepted deferral means you will be selected next time. ## Frequently asked questions **Do I need 30 CPD credits while on maternity leave?** The CPD FAQ says the same 30 credits every 12-month period apply to everyone on the register regardless of work situation. If you are called for audit while on leave, you can request a deferral. **Is the requirement lower if I work part-time?** No. There is no pro rata figure: 30 credits in every 12-month period applies to everyone on the register. **What happens if my deferral is accepted?** The audit FAQ and guidelines say registrants granted a deferral are automatically selected in the next audit. ## Sources - [CPD General Questions (FAQ)](https://www.coru.ie/health-and-social-care-professionals/continuing-professional-development/cpd-faqs/), CORU, page undated, read 28 September 2026. Used for: one hour of new or enhanced learning equals one credit, any fraction of an hour may be attributed, the registrant decides the credits, no carry forward, the same requirement on leave, part-time or a career break, and keeping records while on the register - [CPD Audit and Audit Deferral FAQs](https://coru.ie/health-and-social-care-professionals/continuing-professional-development/cpd-audit-faqs/), CORU, page undated, read 28 September 2026. Used for: selection of a percentage of the eligible register, 30 days to submit, deferral grounds and timing, and the eligibility of people who joined mid-period - [Continuing Professional Development Audit: Guidelines for Registrants](https://coru.ie/files-education/cpd/coru-cpd-audit-guidelines.pdf), CORU, document undated, read 28 September 2026. Used for: audit periods of 12 or 24 months, 30 credits in every 12-month period linked to the registration renewal date, what a submitted record contains, no service user or colleague identifiers, supporting documents kept but not submitted, and the two outcomes # How to review your learning needs and build a CPD plan URL: https://reflectora-web.pages.dev/guide/building-a-learning-plan/ Last reviewed: 28 September 2026 Two of the four parts of an audited CPD record look forward: a review of your learning needs for the next 12 months and the learning activities you plan for them. Write the review as a short honest account of where your practice is and what is changing, turn each need into one or two planned activities with a month, and date the whole thing. Start a fresh plan each year and keep the old ones. ## Write a learning needs review and plan Set aside an hour once a year, ideally near the start of your audit block. Use [your learning plan page](https://reflectora-web.pages.dev/plan/) or paper. 1. **Look back.** Read the last 12 months of your log and note what changed in your practice and what did not. 2. **Look at your role.** List what is changing in your work: new duties, new service users, new policies or equipment. 3. **Name the needs.** Write three to six learning needs as gaps or goals, each one sentence. 4. **Plan activities.** For each need, name one or two activities that would meet it and a month to aim for. 5. **Date it.** Put today's date on the review so the record shows when it was written. 6. **Revisit it.** Tick activities off as you log them and carry unfinished ones into next year's plan. ## Why the plan is part of the record The social worker guidance describes CPD as a cycle: review your knowledge, skills and performance, plan your priority learning needs and the activities that meet them, implement the plan, then evaluate and reflect on the effect. The audit guidelines ask for the review of learning needs and the planned activities for the next 12 months in every submitted record, so a log of activities alone is incomplete. The FAQ notes that you may discuss your needs with a manager or supervisor but do not have to, and that registrants without a supervisor can still meet the requirement. The plan is yours. ## Keeping each year on record A plan covers 12 months. When you start the next one, keep the old one unchanged: an audit of a 24-month period may want to see the plan you actually wrote at the start, not a tidied version. Reflectora keeps one plan per year, starting on the date you choose, and carries unfinished planned activities forward as copies. ## What a good learning need looks like A useful need names a gap in practice and why it matters now: "assessing risk when a young person goes missing, because our service is taking more emergency placements" says more than "child protection". It points to the kind of activity that would meet it, and it gives you something to reflect on when the activity is done. ## Worked example A social worker's plan from 1 June 2026 has 4 planned activities, 1 of them done by the time the next plan is due. Starting the plan from 1 June 2027 carries 3 unfinished activities into it, and the earlier plan still shows all 4 as written, with the one done activity ticked. The social worker then rewrites the review for the new year, drops one carried activity that no longer fits the role, and adds two new needs. Both years stay on record. ## Common mistakes - Writing needs as course titles. A need is a gap in practice; a course is one way to meet it. - Planning 20 activities. Three to six needs, each with one or two activities, is realistic. - Overwriting last year's plan instead of starting a new one. - Leaving the plan undated. - Never looking at the plan again until an audit. ## Frequently asked questions **Does the CPD record need a learning plan?** Yes. The audit guidelines list a review of learning needs for the next 12-month period and planned learning activities for the next 12-month period among the parts of a submitted record. **Do I need my manager to sign off my plan?** The CPD FAQ says you can consult a manager or supervisor, and that registrants without a supervisor can still meet the requirements. The plan is your own. **What if I did not finish last year's plan?** Say so in your review and carry what still matters into the new plan. The audit checks that you have a process, not that every plan was completed. ## Sources - [Continuing Professional Development Audit: Guidelines for Registrants](https://coru.ie/files-education/cpd/coru-cpd-audit-guidelines.pdf), CORU, document undated, read 28 September 2026. Used for: audit periods of 12 or 24 months, 30 credits in every 12-month period linked to the registration renewal date, what a submitted record contains, no service user or colleague identifiers, supporting documents kept but not submitted, and the two outcomes - [Guidance on Continuing Professional Development, Social Workers](https://coru.ie/files-education/cpd/swrb-guidance-on-continuing-professional-development.pdf), CORU, approved July 2019, read 28 September 2026. Used for: the review, plan, implement, evaluate and reflect cycle of CPD - [CPD General Questions (FAQ)](https://www.coru.ie/health-and-social-care-professionals/continuing-professional-development/cpd-faqs/), CORU, page undated, read 28 September 2026. Used for: one hour of new or enhanced learning equals one credit, any fraction of an hour may be attributed, the registrant decides the credits, no carry forward, the same requirement on leave, part-time or a career break, and keeping records while on the register # What CPD evidence to keep, and for how long URL: https://reflectora-web.pages.dev/guide/cpd-evidence-to-keep/ Last reviewed: 28 September 2026 Keep your CPD documentation for as long as you are on the register. Keep supporting evidence such as certificates, notes and attendance emails, but do not send it with an audit: the audit guidelines say the record is the only document required, and originals are not returned. Note where each piece of evidence is kept, next to the activity it supports. ## What to keep - The record itself: every activity with its date, credits and reflective fields, your yearly review of learning needs and your plans. - Certificates of attendance or completion, where a provider gives one. - Your own notes from reading, supervision or a case review, with names removed. - Emails or programmes that show a date and a topic for less formal learning. The guidelines say registrants are not required to submit supporting documents such as certificates, case studies or minutes, and should not send originals. They also say registrants should maintain supporting documentation as evidence of engagement in CPD. The CPD FAQ says documentation should be kept for as long as you are on the register. ## How to keep it safely Reflectora stores the record in your browser only. It does not store files: the evidence field is a note of where the certificate or notes are kept. Export a backup file regularly and keep it with your evidence, because clearing your browser data deletes the log and nobody can recover it. A CSV export is there for spreadsheets, and a CSV import brings a spreadsheet log in. ## Evidence for less formal learning Courses come with certificates; much good CPD does not. For reading, supervision, peer discussion or learning on the job, the evidence is usually your own dated note of what you did and what you took from it. A short note written on the day, kept with the reference or the agenda, is better evidence than a long account written a year later. Anything you keep should follow the same rule as the record: no names or details that could identify a service user, a family or a colleague. If a case prompted the learning, describe the kind of situation, not the person. Store evidence where you will still find it in five or ten years: a dated folder per audit period works well. Email attachments get lost when you change employer, so save certificates somewhere of your own. ## Moving between devices Because the log lives in one browser, moving to a new phone or computer means moving a file. Export a backup file on the old device, open the log on the new one, and restore from the file. The backup holds your activities, plans and settings. A CSV export does the same for a spreadsheet, and re-importing a CSV skips any row already in the log, so a second import never doubles your credits. ## Worked example A registrant exports the log as CSV, adds two new rows in a spreadsheet, and imports the file back: 12 rows in all. The import adds 2 and reports 10 as already in the log, so nothing is doubled. One new title starts with an equals sign, "=Audit of case notes". On export the log writes it with a leading apostrophe so a spreadsheet shows it as text instead of running it as a formula, and on import the apostrophe is removed again. ## Common mistakes - Sending certificates or originals with an audit submission. - Keeping evidence that names a service user or a colleague. - Deleting records when a period ends. Keep them while you are registered. - Keeping the only copy of a log in one browser with no backup file. - Assuming a certificate alone is enough without a written reflection. ## Frequently asked questions **How long should I keep CPD records?** The CPD FAQ says your CPD documentation should be kept for as long as you are on the register. **Do I send certificates if I am audited?** No. The audit guidelines say supporting documents are not required with the record, and that originals should not be submitted because they are not returned. **Can I attach certificate files in Reflectora?** Not at present. The evidence field records where each certificate or note is kept. Nothing is uploaded, and your record stays in your browser. ## Sources - [CPD General Questions (FAQ)](https://www.coru.ie/health-and-social-care-professionals/continuing-professional-development/cpd-faqs/), CORU, page undated, read 28 September 2026. Used for: one hour of new or enhanced learning equals one credit, any fraction of an hour may be attributed, the registrant decides the credits, no carry forward, the same requirement on leave, part-time or a career break, and keeping records while on the register - [Continuing Professional Development Audit: Guidelines for Registrants](https://coru.ie/files-education/cpd/coru-cpd-audit-guidelines.pdf), CORU, document undated, read 28 September 2026. Used for: audit periods of 12 or 24 months, 30 credits in every 12-month period linked to the registration renewal date, what a submitted record contains, no service user or colleague identifiers, supporting documents kept but not submitted, and the two outcomes # How CPD audit selection works, and what happens next URL: https://reflectora-web.pages.dev/guide/cpd-audit-selection/ Last reviewed: 28 September 2026 At the end of each profession's audit period, a random percentage of registrants who were on the register for the whole period is selected and asked to submit their CPD record through the registrant portal within 30 days. Boards can also target a group or an individual at any time. The record is checked for its four parts, and the outcome is compliant or non-compliant. ## Selection The audit guidelines say a representative percentage of each profession is selected after each 12 or 24-month cycle, normally at random, and that a board may audit an individual or target a group at any time. The audit FAQ says only a percentage of the eligible register is asked, and that selection can happen at any time. Registrants are told the audit period at least 12 months before the audit. Eligibility for the routine audit needs a full period on the register. Someone who joined part way through is not eligible until the end of the next period, unless the audit is targeted. ## After you are selected 1. A notice asks you to submit your record, normally within 30 days. 2. You submit through the registrant portal: the activities, your evaluation and reflection for each, your review of learning needs and your plan, with a declaration. 3. If something is missing you are contacted once to resubmit. 4. Members of CORU's executive with CPD expertise review the record against its required parts. 5. You are told whether you are compliant. There is no qualitative feedback. Non-compliance, per the guidelines, follows from not engaging after selection, not submitting without an approved deferral, or fitness to practise concerns raised by the record; the board then decides whether the code of conduct was breached. ## Getting ready before a notice arrives The practical risk in an audit is time, not the rule. Thirty days is enough to copy a finished record into the portal and not enough to reconstruct two years of reflections from memory. A record kept as you go turns an audit notice into an afternoon of copying. - Log each activity within a week, with all four reflective fields, while the detail is still fresh. - Check the credits in each 12-month block of your audit period at least every few months, and plan to close any gap early. - Write the review of learning needs and the plan for the next 12 months once a year, and date it. - Keep your supporting evidence together and note where each item is, but do not plan to send it. - Keep your contact details current with the regulator, because the notice comes by email. The guidelines also say that information in a record which raises a fitness to practise concern can lead to non-compliance, so keep the record factual, keep people out of it, and describe your own learning. ## Worked example Dietitians have an audit period of 1 November 2024 to 31 October 2026, with the audit from 1 November 2026. The period is two blocks: 1 November 2024 to 31 October 2025, and 1 November 2025 to 31 October 2026. A dietitian registered on 1 March 2025 is not eligible for this routine audit, because the period began before that date. A dietitian who was registered throughout and receives a notice on 1 November 2026 would have until about 1 December 2026 to submit. With the four parts already written in the log, that is a matter of copying them into the portal. ## Common mistakes - Assuming you will not be selected. Selection is random and can be targeted. - Ignoring the notice. Not engaging is one of the listed routes to non-compliance. - Submitting a record with no plan or no review of learning needs. - Sending certificates and originals instead of the record. - Including a service user's details in the record. ## Frequently asked questions **How are registrants chosen for a CPD audit?** A representative percentage of each profession is selected, normally at random, after each audit cycle. A board may also audit an individual or a group at any time. **How long do I have to submit my CPD record?** Registrants called for audit are normally given 30 days to submit their record. **Will I get feedback on my CPD record?** No. The guidelines say the outcome is compliant or non-compliant, and there is no scope for qualitative feedback on a record. ## Sources - [Continuing Professional Development Audit: Guidelines for Registrants](https://coru.ie/files-education/cpd/coru-cpd-audit-guidelines.pdf), CORU, document undated, read 28 September 2026. Used for: audit periods of 12 or 24 months, 30 credits in every 12-month period linked to the registration renewal date, what a submitted record contains, no service user or colleague identifiers, supporting documents kept but not submitted, and the two outcomes - [CPD Audit and Audit Deferral FAQs](https://coru.ie/health-and-social-care-professionals/continuing-professional-development/cpd-audit-faqs/), CORU, page undated, read 28 September 2026. Used for: selection of a percentage of the eligible register, 30 days to submit, deferral grounds and timing, and the eligibility of people who joined mid-period - [CPD Audit](https://www.coru.ie/health-and-social-care-professionals/continuing-professional-development/cpd-audit/), CORU, page undated; audit schedule table as shown on the read date, read 28 September 2026. Used for: the minimum of 30 credits in every 12-month period, the four parts of a record, random selection through the registrant portal, and the audit period and audit date for each profession # Questions about Reflectora URL: https://reflectora-web.pages.dev/faq/ ## Answers **What does Reflectora do?** It is a private CPD log for health and social care professionals registered in Ireland. You log each activity with its credits and reflective fields, it counts your credits in every 12-month period and in your audit period, shows the first date you would fall under 30, keeps a learning needs review and plan by year, and prints an audit pack and a one-page credit summary. **Does a green count mean I will pass an audit?** No. Reflectora is a record keeping aid; CORU's current guidance governs, and only your registration board decides whether a record is compliant. The counter adds up the credits you entered; an audit reads your record and decides compliance. **Where is my CPD record stored?** Only in this browser on this device, in its own storage. There is no account and no server, and nothing you type is uploaded. Export a backup file to keep a copy or to move to another device. **How are credits counted?** One hour of new or enhanced learning is one credit, and any fraction of an hour can be claimed, as the regulator's CPD FAQ says. You type the credits you judge the activity earned, for example 1.5 or 3/4, and the log keeps them to the hundredth of a credit. **What is the difference between the rolling count and the audit blocks?** The audit blocks split your published audit period into 12-month parts from its start date, each needing 30 credits. The rolling count adds up the 12 months ending on any date you pick. Keeping 30 on the rolling count keeps every block at 30 too. **My profession has no audit period listed. What do I do?** Choose your profession anyway, then set your own audit period start and end in the settings when your board announces one. Until then the rolling count works on any 12 months. **Can I upload certificates?** Not at present. Each activity has a field to note where the certificate or notes are kept. Nothing is uploaded. **Does Reflectora write my reflections?** No. It has no AI, no phrase bank and no sample reflections. It asks the questions and keeps your answers. **Is Reflectora connected to the regulator?** Reflectora is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to CORU, the Health and Social Care Professionals Council, any registration board or any professional body. The regulator is named only to say which published pages the rules and dates come from. **What happens to my log if I clear my browser data?** It is deleted, and nobody can recover it, because it was never stored anywhere else. Export a backup file regularly and keep it with your evidence.