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The role, remit and composition of the Independent Registration Panel 2004 - 2005

The member organisations of the CACDP have been committed to the establishment of a new Independent Registration Panel, which will administer the Register under the terms of the new Registration Policy from its implementation in April 2002.

An interim Registration Panel was established in April 2001 and was superseded by a new Independent Registration Panel from 1 April 2002. The first meeting of the new Panel took place in July 2002. The legal nature of the relationship between the Panel and CACDP has been approved and the precise nature of this relationship in practice is evolving as work continues.

The Registration Policy was approved by the CACDP Board of Trustees in November 1999. It is a policy of the CACDP. The CACDP Board has agreed to the establishment of the Independent Registration Panel and to commit resources to the registration of BSL/English Interpreters. It has also approved the current Code of Ethics and the Complaints and Disciplinary Procedure. CACDP currently has responsibility for providing the administrative support to the Register and to the Independent Registration Panel. Key policy decisions, the monitoring of the Register and the further development of the Registration Policy have now become the responsibility of the Independent Registration Panel. However, the boundaries of these responsibilities are defined by the scope of the Registration Policy and the resources made available for the Panel to do its work. (Whilst the role of CACDP as an organisation has changed regarding the registration of BSL/English Interpreters, CACDP is still the registration body for Level 3 Lipspeakers, Interpreters for Deafblind People (Manual), Speech to Text Reporters and Agencies/Communication Support Units.)

The role of the Independent Registration Panel from 1 April 2002 is to administer the Register of BSL/English Interpreters. The Panel has been established through the Council for the Advancement of Communication with Deaf People (the Council)'s Registration Policy for BSL/English Interpreters. In carrying out its role of administering the Register, the Panel will:

• Confirm that interpreters applying to enter 1 of the 3 categories of registration (including those transferring between categories) have met the required standards.
• Oversee the routes to Membership of the Register by:
  • Receiving reports of the annual reviews (and if deemed necessary, re-map) the Interpreter Training and Development Programmes recognised for registration purposes: map new programmes that demonstrate they are able to provide training appropriate to 1 or more of the 3 categories of registration.
  • Receiving reports of the annual reviews of the Chief External Verifier of the NVQ assessment centres providing assessments for the Level 4 NVQ in Interpreting (BSL/English).
• Approve* and administer a Code of Ethics/Practice for BSL/English Interpreters.
• Approve* and administer the Complaints and Disciplinary Procedure.
• Promote and disseminate information about the Registration Policy in BSL and English.
• Review the Registration Policy* on an annual basis.

The Panel will be made up of individuals with expertise, experience and status in the field of interpreting, as well as in the training, assessment, use and employment of interpreters. It is suggested that the Panel, as of 1 April 2002 (and meeting for the first time in July 2002) comprises 12 members. It is proposed that members of the Panel be drawn from the following categories:

1. Deaf consumers and BSL tutors.
2. Professional association of interpreters.
3. Employers/agencies.
4. Recognised interpreter training programme providers and assessment centres.
5. External Examiners and External Verifiers of recognised interpreter training programmes and assessment centres.

Four members will be invited in relation to category (a), 2 from the BDA, 1 from the FDP and 1 from ABSLT. Two members will be appointed in relation to categories (b) - (e). A minimum 51% of members should be Members of the Register.

CACDP will be a non-voting member of the Panel*. This will reflect the legal situation with the Independent Registration Panel being established under the Registration Policy which was approved by the CACDP and the fact that CACDP is providing the administrative support to the Register and the Panel. The CACDP member of staff appointed as administrative officer to the Panel will act as secretary to the Panel meetings.

In order to provide continuity between the Interim and the first Panel, the Chair and Vice Chair were invited to be the Chair and Vice Chair of the first Registration Panel for a period of 1 year. Thereafter, the Chair and Vice Chair will be elected from and by Members of the Panel.

* Also require approval by the Board of Trustees.