How standards for diagnostic assessments are maintained
Tuesday 10 March 2020
Guest post from Karen Mace, Head of Assessment, Education and Training, British Dyslexia Association.
One of the questions we get asked a lot is how the standards for diagnostic assessments are regulated.
Last week, we met with the representatives of the other two awarding bodies for Specialist Dyslexia Teacher Assessors to ensure consistency in reviewing reports and that those assessing for dyslexia maintain the rigorous standards expected. So we thought it was the perfect moment to explain how it works.
To carry out a full diagnostic assessment for dyslexia and ensure it can be used for support at university, assessors should either be a psychologist holding HCPC registration or a Specialist Dyslexia Teacher Assessor holding an Assessment Practising Certificate (APC).
APCs are awarded by three awarding bodies, the British Dyslexia Association, PATOSS and Dyslexia Guild. Every three years an assessor has to submit an anonymised report for review as well as evidence of their continuing practising development. This process ensures they are current in their knowledge and that reports conform to the standards set out by our guiding body – SASC.