Before the course

·          There is a self-directed learning module, including formal assessments. If you are unfamiliar with residential aged care, you need to arrange visits to two residential aged care homes and talk to managers and residents about residential aged care, then complete the pre-course activities.

During the course

·          There are practical assessment activities on each day and written assessment activities to be completed overnight.

After the course

·          Examination – within one week of the course, participants will be required to sit for a 2.5 hour supervised examination consisting of four modules at an examination centre

·          A take-home assessment required participants to read a case-study, form a view about compliance and write a report on three expected outcomes. This must be submitted within seven days after the course finishes

·          Participants will be notified by mail whether they have passed or failed the course however examination marks will not be disclosed.

·          Participants are entitled to one resit of one or more modules and/or the take-home assessment. 

Appeals

A participant may appeal a decision made regarding their training and assessment outcomes within 28 days of receipt of assessment results. An appeal process is available to participants for matters that can not be resolved immediately by the facilitator.

The appeal process is designed to:

·          be handled fairly and provide a quick resolution

·          review all participant records and any mitigating circumstances

·          provide participants with a clear indication of the process and the reason for the outcome.

Unless the appeal can be resolved immediately by a trainer the student will be asked to submit the appeal in writing to:

General Manager Education

The Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency Ltd

PO Box 773
PARRAMATTA NSW 2124

Participants must provide adequate evidence for consideration of their appeal and are able to request a formal interview if appropriate. Participants may be contacted during the course of the appeal if further information is required. Participants are advised in writing regarding the outcome of their appeal.

Initial appeals are usually considered internally. Should this process not achieve an agreement, a mutually acceptable third party may be appointed to review the appeal.  

Course facilitators

Depending on the participant numbers, there can be up to three facilitators allocated to each course. All facilitators are experienced assessors that have undertaken training in adult education and participated in a train the facilitator and mentoring program. Between these facilitators there will be a wealth of knowledge in assessment and experience in adult learning. From time to time, other senior staff such as Assessment Managers, Principal Assessors and State Managers may participate to assist facilitation.

Participant numbers

The Agency restricts participant numbers for all courses for assessing in accreditation. The Assessor Course will have no more than 15 participants and the Aged Care Quality Assessment course will have no more than 14 participants. Restricting participant numbers will help ensure there is plenty of time for individual attention.

Venues

The Agency conducts courses at a variety of venues across Australia. To ensure that they will meet participant expectations and promote learning Agency staff have carefully reviewed each venue. In addition to attending a course at one of our venues we are able to conduct the four day assessor course direct to organisations and make it relevant to your context. Click here to apply to have a course conducted at your organisation.

Feedback

The Agency is committed to providing the best possible standard of training and we encourage participant feedback. At the completion of each course, participants are encouraged to complete our participant feedback form. If a participant is dissatisfied in any way during a course we would encourage you to raise your concerns with one of facilitators or alternatively you may wish to lodge a formal complaint through the Agency's complaints process. Click here for more information on the Agency's complaints process.