The Competence and Conduct Standard will introduce a broad outcome-based standard for housing professionals working in the social housing sector. It will require senior staff to have, or be working towards, housing management qualifications. And its broader than that – all social housing staff will need to demonstrate they have the appropriate skills, knowledge, experience and behaviours they need to deliver good quality, professional services to tenants.

The government have stated that they will direct the Regulator of Social Housing to introduce a new regulatory Competence & Conduct standard in early 2025. All housing providers need to understand the implications of the standard and what they must be doing now to prepare.

Debbie Larner, author of our competence and conduct toolkit, will talk delegates through the toolkit and the checklist for action to make sure you have all the building blocks in place ahead of the introduction of the standard.

You will also hear directly from practitioners about how they have approaching the competence and conduct agenda and the professionalisation of their staff, from the customer facing teams to the board room.

Who should attend?

Essential for everyone responsible for implementing the requirements in the new standard:

• HR
• Learning and development
• Organisational development
• Senior housing managers
• Senior housing executives
• Strategic service providers.

What will be covered:

• A step-by-step guide to the Competence and Conduct Standard for social housing
• Highlights from the HQN competence and conduct toolkit and how to use it
• Practical guidance on how best to prepare and what steps to take now
• Experience from landlords who are preparing already
• Top tips and advice on how to get staff on board.

Essential for:

• Directors of housing
• Directors of asset management
• Heads of housing
• Housing management teams
• Heads of repairs and maintenance
• Heads of planned maintenance.

10:30am Chair’s welcome and introduction

• Debbie Larner, Associate, HQN

10:35am The Competence and Conduct Standard: a review of where we are

• Debbie Larner, Associate, HQN

10:50am Creating change: planning to meet the Competence and Conduct standard   

• Julie Haydon, Director of Corporate Services, Wolverhampton Homes

11:25am Break

11:40am HQN toolkit – putting in place your building blocks

• Debbie Larner, Associate, HQN

12:40pm Preparing for professionalism: embedding professional knowledge, skills and behaviour

• Rachel Fairhurst, Senior learning and development business partner, Wythenshawe Community Housing Group

1:10pm Chair’s summary

• Debbie Larner, Associate, HQN

1:15pm Close

Debbie Larner, Associate, HQN

Debbie has been working in social housing for over 30 years – most of which was spent at CIH as Head of Practice. Debbie has led the sector’s work on professional standards and has also been focusing on building/fire safety since the Grenfell Tower disaster. She was a key member of the industry steering group focusing on the role and the competency of the building safety manager. For HQN, Debbie has been focusing on building safety and disrepair as part of her lead associate role – hosting workshops on a range of topical issues, including health and safety compliance.

Julie Haydon, Director of Corporate Services, Wolverhampton Homes

Julie Haydon is the Director of Corporate Services at Wolverhampton Homes, where she also serves as the company secretary. Since joining the organisation in November 2019 as Head of People Services, Julie has demonstrated exceptional leadership, progressing quickly into her current role overseeing key corporate functions with responsibility for corporate transformation and change.

With over 25 years’ experience in general business, Julie has worked across a range of sectors including local authorities, the NHS and not-for-profit organisations. Her strategic expertise ensures the delivery of effective internal services and business support spanning human resources, learning and development, governance, communications, business improvement and finance.

Julie holds her CIH Level 5, is qualified to master’s level and is a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. Committed to continuous growth, she has undertaken extensive professional development in leadership, coaching and neuro-linguistic programming.

In recognition of her industry expertise and dedication, Julie was elected Vice President of the Chartered Institute of Housing in 2024.

Rachel Fairhurst, Senior learning and development business partner, Wythenshawe Community Housing Group

An experienced and well-qualified Learning and Development specialist with expertise in creating credible learning interventions and facilitating working groups, Rachel is responsible for continuous professional development at Wythenshawe Community Housing Group. She also works closely with their Apprenticeship Manager to support the apprenticeship levy.

Rachel is an advocate for reflexive practice and regularly coaches and trains managers, both to assist with individual situations and around feedback sessions and models. As an internal assessor for Investors in People, she has past experience in helping an organisation reach gold standard.

She has multiple qualifications and accreditations in coaching and mentoring from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and the Institute of Leadership and Management and is a Certified Business Consultant.

Rachel is passionate about learning and loves to provide colleagues with new skill sets and help them develop both themselves and their teams. She particularly likes to work in areas where there can are tangible results that can show a real return on investment.

If you are unable to attend an event or public training course, please let us know in writing via email or letter at least 48 hours beforehand. Please email [email protected]

Otherwise, a cancellation fee of £60 plus VAT will be chargeable.

If you are using a package place to attend and do not inform us within the agreed time frame, then a place will be taken to cover your non-attendance.

Cancellations must be made in writing, and will be acknowledged by HQN Limited.