Revalidation

The decision on which development activities to undertake is yours. We trust you to be clear on what your professional development needs are and make the right decisions about the development activity you undertake.

Keep a file of the evidence to support the record you create online. We'll ask a significant number of you to send in your file, so we can audit it. Based on what you all put on the system and the outcome of the audit we'll offer advice and guidance for following years. Our approach will be supportive and constructive, as always.

Why is revalidation important?

From a service perspective, your clients must be sure that your skills and knowledge are current, so they know you can provide them with a service that is safe. On the strategic front, proving NRCPD Registered communication professionals undertake post-qualification continuing education is an absolute requirement for achieving formal protection of professional titles like Sign Language Interpreter, so only those who are appropriately trained can use them.

What do I have to do each year to revalidate?

You have to assess your professional development needs, set development goals and invest a minimum number of hours in working to achieve them through continuous professional development (CPD). You have to record the activity you undertake in the revalidation section of your online NRCPD account and keep a file of evidence to support the record you create.

Why do I need to record revalidation activities?

We will monitor and report on the activity you undertake collectively. We'll ask a significant number of you to send in your file, so we can audit it. Based on what you all put on the system and the outcome of the audit we'll offer advice and guidance for following years. Our approach will be supportive and constructive, as always.

I'm Registering for the first time, do I need to revalidate?

No.

I am an NRCPD Trainee, do I need to revalidate?

No, you are in training.

When do I have to have a completed revalidation record?

You have to revalidate to be eligible to renew your NRCPD Registration, so your online record must be complete before you submit your application.

What activities can I count as Continuous Professional Development?

That's up to you. We trust you to assess and understand your professional development needs and make the right decisions about the development activity you need to undertake. Make sure the activities you choose are focussed on improving your professional practice and keep a record of why you have chosen them.

When will I need to record my continuous professional development activities?

You can record your CPD in the revalidation section of your online registration account at any point in the year prior to your renewal application. The record must be completed before you submit.

What is the minimum number of professional development hours I have to do?

Renewal Date	Minimum Structured hours	Total hours
2013	6	12
2014	12	24
2015 onwards	12	30

What counts as structured activity?

Structured activities are pre-arranged, usually organised by associations, employers, or training providers, and have a stated learning outcome. It can include any such activities that are relevant to your field of professional practice.

Examples

• Attending training courses
• Attending conferences
• Structured mentoring (mentee)
• Monthly staff meetings that include a training item on client or practice issues related to your work as a communication professional, you can record the training item as structured development time
• Professional association meetings with a pre-planned professional development item delivered as training or structured discussion. Count the development item and any follow up or reflective work you do as structured
• The AGM of any relevant association. E.g.: Your professional association, NADP, BDA, Hearing LINK, SCoD, Local Deaf Association

What counts as unstructured activity?

Any self-directed activity without a stated learning outcome that meets your professional development needs. It can include anything relevant to your field of professional practice.

Examples

• Attending relevant meetings
• Reflective work with peers
• Mentoring colleagues
• Reading relevant material, journals, blogs, engaging in relevant professional forums
• Researching a particular issue to gain a better understanding of it. For example you might visit courts to observe cases before accepting particular types of court work

What does not count as a CPD activity?

Anything that is not relevant to your professional development. E.g. a training session on internal financial procedures provided by your employer to you as an employee.

How do I record my hours?

Record your hours in your online registration account. Log into your account, click on the revalidation icon and follow the on screen instructions. We advise you to record your activity as you go through the year.

How do I submit my evidence?

You must keep a file of the evidence you collect for us to audit. We will call a significant sample of files in for audit.

What will you accept as evidence?

Something that shows you undertook the activity you've recorded. For example, you can use certificates of attendance for a training course, meeting agendas, reflective learning logs. Notes of the journals you've read, notes of your mentoring sessions, and agenda or notes of meetings you've been to.

Is there a time limit on a particular piece of evidence?

You can record any activity you undertake in the 12 months prior to your renewal application. Evidence of activity older than 12 months is ineligible.

What happens if I complete in a year more hours than the minimum required?

If you complete more activity than required in any given year, record the extra hours in your online registration account and we will automatically carry a maximum of five hours over to the following year. Hours carried over will be automatically deducted from your following year's unstructured hours requirement.

What happens if I don't meet the revalidation requirements in full?

If you don't complete and record your development activity in your online registration account, you will be ineligible to renew your Registration and unable to submit an application.

My professional association has a CPD scheme that I take part in. Do I have to do the NRCPD revalidation system as well?

Professional associations can ask us to approve their CPD scheme. If your association's scheme has been approved, you can record that as a structured activity, see example below. If your association's scheme is not approved you can submit to us the same evidence as you submit to them, as long as it is relevant.

Does the ASLI CPD scheme have NRCPD approval?

Yes. The ASLI CPD scheme has been approved for Registration year 2013, though this arrangement is reviewed on an annual basis. If you are a member of ASLI and participating in its CPD Scheme record that as follows. In the 'Date' field record the end date of your current NRCPD registration. If you are selected for audit we will ask you to provide your ASLI CPD certificate.

I work part-time, how many hours do I need to record?

The professional standards required when you are working are the same no matter how many hours you work, so the revalidation requirement is the same.

What happens if I take extended leave during my registration year?

Tell us your plans, or what has happened and on production of relevant evidence, we will reduce proportionately the number of CPD hours you need to undertake. For example:

• if you are on adoption leave for six months during your registration year you will need to do six months worth of CPD hours.
• if you are taken ill and are unable to work for three months you will need to do nine months worth of CPD hours.
• If you take nine months to travel the world, inform us in advance and you will need to do three months worth of CPD.

What happens if my period of extended leave spans two registration years?

We will pro rata the amount of CPD hours you need to undertake over two years. In the first year you would renew as usual but recording no CPD hours. To renew the following year you will need to have recorded the required proportion of hours.

I'm registered as a sign language interpreter and a lipspeaker. Do I have to record twice as many CPD hours?

No. In the same way we charge only one fee for multiple Registrations, you complete only one revalidation record. Many activities will be relevant to multiple disciplines. It is your decision how to divide your professional development time between your professional disciplines.