BILD Act vs CPD Accreditation: What Is the Difference

BILD Act certification and CPD accreditation are not interchangeable terms, though they are frequently confused or conflated in training provider marketing. BILD Act certification means a programme has been independently audited against the RRN Training Standards by UKAS-accredited assessors. CPD accreditation means a course has been reviewed for its professional development value. The two serve entirely different purposes, and only one of them satisfies CQC's expectations for physical intervention training in health and social care settings.

What CPD accreditation actually means

CPD stands for Continuing Professional Development. CPD accreditation is awarded by bodies such as the CPD Certification Service, the CPD Standards Office, or sector-specific professional associations. These bodies review training programmes to confirm that they are structured appropriately for professional learning, have clear learning outcomes, and meet a basic standard of educational quality.

CPD accreditation is valuable for a range of purposes. It confirms that a course is worth attending from a professional development perspective. It may help staff fulfil annual CPD requirements set by professional regulators. And it provides a signal to employers that a course has undergone at least some external review.

What CPD accreditation does not assess is the specific content of the programme against a defined safety or practice standard. A CPD-accredited physical intervention course has not been tested against the RRN Training Standards. The CPD accreditor has not checked whether the course covers human rights frameworks, trauma-informed practice, post-incident support, or any of the other elements that the RRN Training Standards require.

What BILD Act certification means

BILD Act certification is a fundamentally different recognition. It is awarded by the BILD Association of Certified Training (BILD Act) after an independent audit in which UKAS-accredited assessors assess a training programme against every element of the RRN Training Standards.

The audit process examines curriculum content, trainer competency, delivery methods, assessment procedures, and organisational quality systems. Assessors observe actual training delivery, not just documentation. A provider cannot achieve BILD Act certification by submitting paperwork alone.

The RRN Training Standards themselves were independently evaluated by Manchester Metropolitan University, providing a robust evidence base for what the standards require. When a programme is certified against those standards, it has been measured against criteria that have themselves been subject to academic scrutiny.

This is why BILD Act certified training carries regulatory weight that CPD accreditation does not.

The regulatory stakes: why the difference matters

In November 2020, CQC, Skills for Care, and Health Education England issued a joint letter setting out their position on training for health and social care staff who may use restrictive practices. From April 2021, CQC expects all health and social care services to use training certified against the RRN Training Standards. Non-compliance is likely to constitute a breach of Regulation 18, the staffing regulation.

This expectation refers specifically to RRN Training Standards certification, not to CPD accreditation. A training certificate showing a CPD badge does not satisfy this expectation. If an inspector asks for evidence that your physical intervention training meets CQC's requirements, a CPD accreditation certificate from your provider will not be sufficient.

For organisations working across adult social care, this distinction has direct implications for inspection readiness and governance. The registered manager is responsible for evidencing that training meets required standards. Understanding the difference between CPD accreditation and BILD Act certification is a basic governance competency in this sector.

How to tell them apart on a training certificate

When you receive a training certificate, look for the following signals.

Signs that a certificate reflects BILD Act certification

• The certificate explicitly states 'BILD Act certified' or references certification against the RRN Training Standards.
• The provider's name appears on the certified organisations list at bildact.org.uk.
• The certificate includes a certification reference or scope number.
• The programme title matches a certified programme in the provider's certification scope.

Signs that a certificate reflects only CPD accreditation

• The certificate carries a CPD logo from a CPD accreditation body (CPD Certification Service, CPD Standards Office, etc.).
• The provider is not listed on bildact.org.uk.
• The provider uses language such as 'BILD Act aligned', 'RRN equivalent', or 'compliant with RRN standards' without being on the certified list.
• The course was six or twelve hours in duration. Short programmes cannot meet the full RRN Training Standards.

Can a provider hold both CPD accreditation and BILD Act certification?

Yes. A training provider can hold BILD Act certification for specific programmes and also have those, or other, programmes CPD-accredited. These are not mutually exclusive. However, the CPD accreditation is not what confers regulatory standing for physical intervention training in care settings. That standing comes from the BILD Act certification.

Some providers may list multiple accreditations and quality marks on their marketing materials. When evaluating a provider, focus on whether they appear on the BILD Act certified organisations list and whether the specific course you are purchasing is within the scope of that certification. Our guide on how to check if your training provider is BILD Act certified explains the verification process in detail.

A note on other accreditation schemes

Beyond CPD accreditation, other quality marks that providers may reference include Skills for Care endorsement, RSPH accreditation, or membership of various professional associations. These carry different meanings and serve different purposes.

None of them are equivalent to BILD Act certification in the context of CQC expectations for physical intervention training. Skills for Care endorsement, for example, confirms that a provider meets Skills for Care's quality criteria for social care training broadly. It does not involve assessment against the RRN Training Standards.

When the question is specifically about physical intervention or restrictive practice training in health and social care, BILD Act certification against the RRN Training Standards is the relevant benchmark. Other quality marks may have value in other contexts, but they do not substitute for certification in this one.

Why this distinction matters at the point of commissioning

When you are scoring tenders or comparing quotes, the difference between BILD ACT certification and CPD accreditation is not academic. Specifying the wrong one can leave you with training that meets a different standard than the one you intended to require. CPD accreditation tells you a course meets continuing professional development criteria, but it says nothing about how physical interventions are taught, whether trainers have been independently assessed, or whether the curriculum aligns with the Restraint Reduction Network Training Standards.

If your service is regulated by CQC and uses any form of restrictive intervention, your contractual and commissioning expectations should reference RRN-aligned, BILD ACT certified training. Naming CPD accreditation in your specification when you actually need certification is a common procurement mistake, and one that can be hard to unpick once a contract is in place.

What to specify in your tender wording

If you want certified training, write it explicitly. Reference the Restraint Reduction Network Training Standards by name, ask providers to evidence current BILD ACT certification, and require the scope of certification to be supplied in writing. Do not rely on phrases such as "accredited" or "recognised" without defining what they mean. The clearer your specification, the easier it is to compare like with like and the less room there is for providers to claim alignment they cannot demonstrate.

The role of CPD recognition alongside certification

None of this means CPD recognition is meaningless. CPD points are a useful proof that staff have completed continuing professional development, and many regulated professions need a certain number of CPD hours each year. The point is that CPD recognition addresses a different question. It tells you a person has done the learning. It does not tell you the training itself was independently checked for safety, ethics, and alignment to the Restraint Reduction Network Training Standards.

In practice, the strongest providers offer both. Their training is BILD ACT certified for the safety and ethical standards, and the same courses also carry CPD recognition so that staff can use the hours toward their personal development records. The two are complementary, not alternatives. If a provider can offer only one, ask which one and why, and weigh that against what your service actually needs.

Frequently asked questions

Is CPD accreditation worthless for care training?

CPD accreditation is not worthless. It confirms professional development value and can support staff in meeting annual CPD requirements. However, for physical intervention and restrictive practice training in CQC-regulated services, CPD accreditation alone does not satisfy CQC's expectation that training is certified against the RRN Training Standards. Both types of recognition can coexist, but they serve different purposes.

What happens if CQC finds we are using only CPD-accredited training for physical intervention?

CQC's expectation since April 2021 is that health and social care services use RRN Training Standards-certified training. If an inspection finds that physical intervention training is not certified, this is likely to be recorded as a concern relating to Regulation 18 (staffing). The severity of the finding will depend on context, but it is a risk that can be avoided by transitioning to a certified provider.

Do I need BILD Act certified training for staff who do not use physical intervention?

The RRN Training Standards apply specifically to training that covers restrictive practices, including physical intervention. If a member of staff's role has no possibility of involving physical intervention, the certification requirement does not apply to them. However, de-escalation and behaviour support training for all staff is best practice, and many organisations use certified programmes for all frontline staff, not only those in roles where physical intervention might arise.

Where can I verify a provider's BILD Act certification?

The certified organisations list is maintained at bildact.org.uk. Search by your provider's name to confirm they appear on the list, and check that the specific course you are purchasing falls within the scope of their certification. You can also request the provider's BILD Act certificate number and contact BILD Act directly to verify its validity.

Get certified training for your team

ProActive Approaches is BILD Act (RRN) certified, delivering training in adult social care, children's services, and healthcare with 30+ years experience. Our training is certified against the Restraint Reduction Network Training Standards. Manchester Metropolitan University evaluated the RRN Training Standards as a national framework, not our programme directly.

To discuss your team's training needs, get in touch or view upcoming course dates.