ARB introduces new non-traditional routes into registration

The ARB has introduced new routes into registration which allows people who have entered the profession through non-traditional pathways to demonstrate their competence.

The new routes will allow people with ARB-accredited Part 2 and Part 3 qualifications but without an ARB-accredited Part 1 to join the register as part of plans to widen access into the profession.

People who left the register more than two years ago and want to return, and those who completed their ARB-accredited Part 3 or practice outcomes qualification more than two years ago but did not register, will also be able to apply for registration.

The reforms are part of the regulator’s wider programme to improve access for individuals whose qualifications, experience or circumstances do not fit existing routes.

ARB chair Alan Kershaw said:  “These new routes make joining the register more straightforward while maintaining the robust standards that protect the public.

“People now enter the profession through an increasingly diverse range of educational and professional experiences. Our new approach recognises this and introduces checks that are appropriate to an individual’s circumstances while ensuring they meet proper standards.

“We know there are talented people whose professional journeys do not follow traditional pathways. 

The routes will use the new registration assurance process (RAP), which enables applicants to demonstrate that they meet ARB’s standards for registration through an assessment that reflects their individual qualifications, experience and circumstances. 

Kershaw said the RAP will enable individuals to “demonstrate their competence in a way that reflects their qualifications and experience, while maintaining public confidence in the profession.”