CPC Assessor

There are currently three capacities in which CPC assessors work, namely:

CSFS CPC Assessors;

• Certificate of Competence Assessors (including Lead Assessors);
• and Certificate of Competence External Examiners.

Certificate of Competence Assessors (including Lead Assessors) and Certificate of Competence External Examiners must be familiar with the Society’s programme of Certificates of Competence, as validated by Staffordshire University (for details, please send an e-mail to info@csofs.org

Each Certificate of Competence has a corresponding module and, in order to be awarded an CSFS Certificate of Competence, any given candidate must pass the assessment associated with that module. 

Each of these modules will have a Certificate of Competence External Examiner and at least one Assessor.  One of these Assessors will be appointed as the Lead Assessor for the module concerned.  Exceptionally, it may be necessary to appoint more than one External Examiner for a given module.  This will occur if the breadth of the learning outcomes of the module concerned is too great to be covered by one such examiner.

The CSFS will nominate the Assessors, Lead Assessors and External Examiners.  However, these must be approved by Staffordshire University.  For those who have been nominated, this approval process will involve the scrutiny by the University of their application forms and those references that the CSFS already holds for them.  In order to pass this scrutiny, these documents will need to demonstrate that those appointed have appropriate standing in the forensic science community, and relevant qualifications and experience.  This experience will normally include a substantial portfolio of relevant case work, although other equivalent indicators of appropriate expertise would be acceptable. 

Once appointed, the Lead Assessor will set the multiple choice questions (MCQs) and the practical assessment for the module concerned, both with outline answers and marking schemes.  For each assessment event, the Lead Assessor will prepare a form that will transparently show how the module’s learning outcomes are to be assessed.  It will also clearly state the mental and physical capacities that are necessary pre-requisites for successful completion of the assessment event.  These might include, for example, statements of the manual dexterity and/or ability to synthesise ideas that is required for the practical assessment.

This forms, the MCQs, the practical assessment, the outline answers and the marking schemes to which it relates must be approved by the relevant External Examiner prior to the assessment event in question.  The form will then be used by each Assessor to record whether each candidate has met the module’s learning outcomes and hence those of the award of a Certificate of Competence.  The completed from will be scrutinised by the External Examiner, who will report on this process to the next available Forensic and Crime Science Assessment Board held by Staffordshire University.  He or she will provide this report either in person, or via video link or telephone.  On the basis of this report, that Board will decide whether each given candidate has passed the assessment.  The following Forensic and Crime Science Award Board (also held by Staffordshire University) will then decide whether each candidate should be awarded the Certificate of Competence. 

The CSFS has a process for the recognition of a specialty as a valid subject for the conferment of Accredited Forensic Practitioner status.  Successful applicants for appointment as CPC assessors (irrespective of the capacity in which they will work) will have used the application form to demonstrate the following to the satisfaction of the Quality Standards Committee and the Council of the Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences:

1. that they are held in good standing within their own profession;
2. that they are currently working as a competent practitioner or practitioner manager within the specialty in which they wish to act as an assessor;
3. that they are a sufficiently skilled practitioner to prepare effective reports/statements for court and make effective appearances in court as a witness as and when required to do so;
4. that they have experience of, or significant exposure to, different disciplines;
5. that, ideally, they have previous assessment experience, albeit within a practitioner environment;
6. that they have effective communication and interpersonal skills (including the ability to write clear, concise and accurate reports);
7. that they are able to conduct assessments objectively and to remain professional at all times;
8. that they are sufficiently educated, trained and/or experienced to assess at the academic level required.

Duties

As outlined above plus:-

1. attending assessor training at the CSFS or Staffordshire University as needs be;
2. effective communication with the CSFS, Staffordshire University and other parties as needs be in order to fulfill their role;
3. marking examination papers and practical assessments as needs be.  It is particularly important that if a fail mark is given that the assessor identifies specific shortcomings in the candidate’s work;
4. reviewing the marking of others as needs be;
5. making their marks and comments available to Staffordshire University through the proper channels and to the CSFS staff;
6. having and in-depth knowledge of the CSFS CPC assessment criteria;
7. having a commitment to the CSFS as the professional body for Forensic practitioners and adherence to its Code of Conduct;
8. having a professional approach to the work of an examiner, including in regard to keeping appointments with prospective clients;
9. having a  commitment to attend examiner meetings and meetings of the CPC Sub-Committee or Quality Standards Committee (if appropriate);
10. proactively feeding back ideas to the Society;
11. providing a short mini CV (150 words) to the Society and a photograph for publication on its website.