Earned Recognition Project: Consultation reports and opportunity to register interest in becoming an Earned Recognition Assessor

The Earned Recognition (ER) Project is a partnership between Natural England (NE), the Bat Conservation Trust (BCT) and the Chartered Institute for Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM). The aims of the project are to design a scheme to streamline the mitigation licensing process for bats in England, raise and maintain professional standards in bat mitigation work and improve outcomes for bats.

Consultation reports now available

A detailed consultation for ecologists involved in mitigation licensing was launched on 17th November 2020 and closed on 5th January 2021. The results of the consultation can be found HERE

A less detailed consultation for other stakeholder groups, including local authority planners, local authority ecologists, developers, architects, planning consultants, builders and NGOs was also launched on 17th November 2020 but closed on 31st January 2021. The results of the consultation can be found HERE

Some comments received in response to the consultation were in the form of questions. The consultation Q & A document is therefore being updated and will be available in due course. The current consultation Q & A document can be found HERE

Register your interest in becoming an Earned Recognition Scheme Pilot Assessor or Assessment Moderator

As part of the consultation for ecologists involved in mitigation licensing, respondents were asked if they would be interested in being an Assessor or Lead Assessor (now termed Assessment Moderator, see below) as part of the ER Accreditation Scheme Pilot. We will be in touch with those who said yes in due course, and in the meantime we would like to extend this opportunity to those who did not respond to the consultation.

As an Earned Recognition Scheme Pilot Assessor or Assessment Moderator, you will play a critically important role in upholding the standard of the Earned Recognition scheme. You will be helping to ensure compliance with legislative requirements in relation to the protection and conservation of bats whilst supporting Natural England to administer a licensing scheme efficiently and effectively.

Assessors will primarily be undertaking the accreditation assessments of Earned Recognition applicants, which will include desk-based assessments of portfolios and Professional Review Interviews (PRI) designed to test applicants’ competence against the requirements for the Accreditation Level being applied for. Assessors will be expected to meet the Earned Recognition Accreditation Level 2 criteria at a minimum, which can be found HERE

The Assessment Moderator will be primarily be responsible for moderating Assessor accreditation assessments to ensure that accreditation outcomes are fair, valid and reliable, and that the assessment criteria have been applied consistently. In addition, the Assessment Moderator will act as mediator where first and second assessors disagree regarding assessment outcomes. The Assessment Moderator will be expected to hold a level 3 Assessor qualification.

These will be paid roles, with a maximum contribution of 30 - 40 days per Assessor (including the Assessment Moderator) anticipated between July and December 2021.

Full role profiles and application packs are still being finalised for the Assessor and Assessment Moderator roles, but if you would like to register your interest and be kept informed of opportunities, please email EarnedRecognition.Bat@naturalengland.org.uk by COP 25th April 2021 and provide the following information:

• Name, company and job title
• Email address and telephone number
• Which role(s) you would be interested in

The Privacy Notice relating to the Earned Recognition Project consultation and pilot can be found HERE

Queries

Any queries regarding the consultation or pilot should be directed to:

Jan Collins, Head of Biodiversity, BCT: jcollins@bats.org.uk

Sally Hayns, CEO, CIEEM: sallyhayns@cieem.net

Natural England: EarnedRecognition.Bat@naturalengland.org.uk