How do I keep track of my professional development?
How do I keep track of my professional development?
Are you confused about your professional development (PD) requirements as a dispute resolution professional? This post will help you to get clear as they do vary a little depending on your accreditations and registrations. Your hours are accumulated over a two-year membership period.
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What are the requirements?
NMAS Mediators
25 hours every two years, and this is checked by your Recognised Mediator Accreditation Body (RMAB)
We ask you to indicate the hours of PD you’ve done on our renewal form.
Family Dispute Resolution Practitioners
FDRP’s have an obligation to complete 24 hours of Professional Development every 2 years of our registration. The 2 years is based on the anniversary of our registration date.
If you have had periods of suspension check with the AG’s Practitioner Registration Unit what they consider to be your renewal date for audit purposes.
Family Group Conference Facilitators
There currently isn’t a formal accreditation system in place for Family Group Conference Facilitators. However, we’re actively working towards establishing one in the near future.
As part of our membership requirements, we anticipate that our members will commit to completing 24 hours of professional development specifically related to Family Group Conferencing within each two-year membership period.
Professional development sessions will be accessible to Mediation Institute Members to support their growth and expertise in this area.
Click this link to go to the Regs.
Family Law (Family Dispute Resolution Practitioners) Regulations 2008
Regulation 14 Education, training and professional development
(1) A person who is accredited as a family dispute resolution practitioner must undertake at least 24 hours education, training or professional development in family dispute resolution in each 24 month period starting on the day of the person’s accreditation as a family dispute resolution practitioner.
(2) If the Secretary becomes aware that an accredited family dispute practitioner has failed to comply with subregulation (1), the Secretary may, by written notice, give the person a specified period within which to comply with the requirement.
In 2021 the Attorney Generals Department provided notice that they would commence a general audit of registered Family Dispute Resolution Practitioners to ensure that we are complying with this very important ongoing obligation.
If audited you will be required to provide evidence of completing your 24 hours of FDR Specific Ongoing Professional Development in your preceding 24 month registration period.
Another way to track your PD hours.
You can keep a Word document and folder on your computer where you can record your PD and store your certificates.
It is probably safer to store them in the cloud on Google Drive, office 365 or some other repository that won’t be lost if your computer is lost or stolen.
You could set up a Professional Development folder where you store a copy of any certificates and a document where you keep your Professional Development Register. https://www.google.com/drive/
It’s free, so why not make use of the tools that are available to you so you don’t suffer data loss if your computer is lost, stolen or damaged.
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