ASLI is a permanent member of the NRCPD’s Practitioners’ Forum and consults the membership before each meeting on matters on the agenda of that important meeting.
We also have many of our members who sit in a Professional Advisory capacity in the NRCPD in order to advise on professional matters, standard practice, best practice and judge the suitability of registrant applications, contribute to the official complaints process and sit, when required, in arbitration on complaints panels.
The Board is in regular contact with the strategic figures in the NRCPD and enjoy a healthy and transparent relationship to the betterment of all registered practitioners.
We regularly report to members on the activites and developments in this ongoing relationship.
The NRCPD statement from ASLI was approved by members at the 2009 AGM.
ASLI recommends
All interpreters engaging in public service interpreting and publicly-funded interpreting work are registered with the NRCPD. The use of registered interpreters enables public services to meet their obligations under the DDA and for those working in public services to protect their clients by using professionals who are:
• held accountable to codes of ethics
• suitably insured,
• enhanced DBS checked
• keeping their skills current
• competent in accordance with the national occupational standards
ASLI believes
- as the body representing interpreters we should have a voice in the NRCPD.
- insurance should be required, but not provided by the NRCPD.
- CPD should be a part of NRCPD registration.
ASLI supports
- the policy statement made by the National Access to Work Delivery Manager in 2007, when answering a parliamentary question, stating the minimum level for the engagement of an interpreter (i.e. someone who listens to English and tells someone else what was said/what it means in BSL and vice-versa) is an interpreter registered as a TI with the NRCPD.
- the national legal agreement (http://tinyurl.com/pse7gl) for the CJS and as such believes only those interpreters registered as MRSLI with the NRCPD should work in the CJS.
- the work undertaken by the WOLSH group to bring about a national agreement within Health and Social Care which will result in only those interpreters registered as MRSLI with the NRCPD able to work in the health and social care sector.
- mandatory registration as and when all organisations support the sole use of registered interpreters. At this time many of our members are registered (92% of respondents to the Fees and Salaries survey 2008); those who are not registered with the NRCPD should be held accountable via their employer or employing agency.
- the joint agreement between WASLI and the WFD and agree to work in close partnership with the BDA for the future benefit of Deaf people, people who use sign language and the sign language interpreting profession. At this time the NRCPD is the only register recognised for sign language interpreters that has representation from the BDA.