Explain Legal Issues, Policies and Procedures Relevant to Assessment

Q: Explain legal issues, policies and procedures relevant to assessment, including those for confidentiality, health, safety and welfare. Ans: For the smooth running of organization or/and to meet the internal and external requirements of awarding bodies, it is must to have some legal policies and procedures ready at hand in assessment. If, at one hand, it helps us go through the whole process of assessment smoothly, at the other, it builds a confidence among the learners who feel secure in the process. Training organizations are also subject to inspection by OFSTED so have to keep records for performance, safety and financial reasons. Registers-attendance at lessons. Visit Report Forms-proof you are visiting candidates. Individual Learning Plans-Targets and timescales. Equality and Diversity Forms-Ensuring no discrimination. Health and Safety Check Forms-Ensuring safe working environment. Course feedback forms-feedback from candidates. Course assessment sheets-record of tests and progress There are some basic policies and procedures that ought to be an integral part of whole organizational set up. Health and Safety Policy and Procedures: These are important. All organizations must carry out a  risk assessment  identifying the risks to employees, other workers, clients, members of the public and anyone who comes onto the organization’s premises or uses its services. They must then draw up a health and safety scheme setting out a program to reduce the risks, or to minimize the negative impact if they do happen. Since in assessment, there is possibility of learners being under 18, the assessor or the authority has to carry out a specific assessment taking into account the fact that young people may be inexperienced, immature and/or less aware of risks than adults. These requirements are set out in the Health and Safety (Young Persons) Regulations 1997. Data Protection Act: The main thrust of Data Protection is protecting against abuse of data held on individuals. Data collection has to be fair. This now means that the individual must know who is doing the collecting, and the purposes for which the data are intended to be used. Data shouldn't be kept for longer than necessary, must be kept secure, and should be adequate, relevant and accurate. Thus the learners, in assessment, will feel secure as it ensures confidentiality.