CRFP - Assessors - Becoming an assessor

Becoming an assessor

Requirements
In most instances, our lead and specialty assessors have been recommended to us by professional institutions, by their managers or by senior colleagues in their profession.

However, you can contact us directly to express your interest in becoming an assessor. In this case, we ask for a reference or recommendation from a senior colleague or line manager.

If you want to become a specialty assessor, you must already have registered with us in the appropriate specialty. On the few occasions when we make an exception (for example, when we open the register to new specialties), you must apply as soon as you are trained and be registered within 6 months. If you fail to pass your initial assessment, renew your registration annually, or have your registration revalidated, you will no longer be entitled to carry out assessments.

Lead assessor you do not have to be on the register, but if you are you can become a specialty assessor when your time as a lead assessor ends.

Training
When you are recommended to us, we will invite you to attend one of our assessor training courses, which take place every 3 months. Places are initially reserved for assessors in newly-opened or forthcoming specialties but we will try to get you on a course as soon as we can.

The training is an intensive two-day course, in which you will learn how to assess information from a variety of sources and how our whole registration system works. We will teach you to use a structured method for carrying out assessments, so you can assess applications to a consistent standard of 'safe competent practice'. At the end of the course, you will be qualified to NVQ standard in assessment.

After the course we will send you a CD-ROM with all the documentation that you need to complete assessments. You can also download new forms from this website.

If you encounter a problem during an assessment, speak to your lead assessor in the first instance. If they cannot help you resolve it, please contact us.