FAQ

  • Access Consultants
  • How To Be An Access Consultant
  • Fees
  • Membership Information

Access Consultants

How do I find an accredited access consultant?

Please visit our Find an Access Consultant facility

You can find an Accredited Access Consultant or find a Member of the Association.

Both allow you to choose the search criteria by keyword, detailed search and define some search options.

Contact details of a suitable choice can be obtained by clicking on the consultant’s link.

Now that I have found an access consultant, how do I select the right one?

It is up to you to select the most appropriate access consultant to suit your needs.

As with any profession, there are various levels of acquired skills, competencies, area of expertise, experience, availability; you name it.

Contact the person you think is the most suitable and enquire as to their suitability for the advice you are seeking.

What fees should I expect an accredited access consultant to charge?

Under the Trade Practices Act it is illegal to publish or establish bench marks for fee scheduling in a competitive and free trade market.

Fees are established based on years of experience, the type of services required, etc. For instance in areas of high litigation, fees are proportional to the risk.

Always ensure your access consultant has the appropriate level of Professional Indemnity and Public Liability cover.

What sort of services do Access Consultants provide?

Access Consultants provide a range of services when accessing the built environment for accessibility. A guide has been produced to the varying levels of analyses possible when assessing existing built environments for accessibility. This can be used to determine the type of services required to meet your particular circumstance.

Please click here to download a copy of the Categories of Assessments for Accessibility

How To Be An Access Consultant

What training is required to be an Access Consultant?

One of the objectives of the Access Consultants Association (ACA) is to advise members on the development of educational courses suitable for accreditation of members.

ACA supports the development of appropriate training in Access Consultancy and will advise members on the development of nationally recognised courses suitable for members.

From 1st September 2013, in order to become an Associate Member of ACA, it is necessary for applicants to have successfully completed the nationally recognised qualification, Certificate IV in Access Consulting.

Once an applicant has been accepted as an Associate Member of ACA, they will then be eligible to apply for ACA Accredited Membership subject to the rules of Accredited Membership

Fees

What are the membership fees to join ACA?

Assessment Application and Testing Fee

The base entry level to the Association is an Associate class of member for those practicing as Access Consultants.

Associates applying to upgrade to an accredited membership class are charged a one off, non-refundable fee that includes the Accredited Membership Fee and Testing Fee.

Pro-rated Accredited Membership Fee applies for applications received after 31 December but not to the test fee. The following financial year the full annual Accredited Member fee applies.

A range of criteria and information is used by the Access Consultants Association (ACA) in determining the suitability of candidates for Accredited Membership of the Association. The Accredited Membership Test is designed for use as a tool to assist in this process. The test assists in assessing a candidate’s ability to practise competently as an Access Consultant. It is an open-book test designed for practitioners who have gained relevant skills and experience in the field of Access Consulting as determined by ACA. As from April 2012, all applicants for Accredited Membership are required to undertake the test.

Associates applying to upgrade to Accredited Membership Fee is $1000.00 (GST inclusive)

Testing Fee is not charged to Applicants for any other class of membership.


Membership ANNUAL Fee Schedule

Member Class

AUD $ (GST inclusive

Accredited Member $302.50
Associate Member $220.00
Affiliate Member $121.00
Corporate Member $302.50
Retired Member $49.50
Honorary Member*
Life Member*  –
Fellow $302.50

* Fee exempt

All Fees include GST

Upon request, the Association will give serious consideration to vary or waive any fee.

The membership fee is payable on July 1 each year.
For members joining in the first quarter of any Calendar Year (i.e. between 1 January and 31 March) their initial fee will be half of the annual fee prescribed in the Annual Membership Fee Schedule.
For members joining in the second quarter of any Calendar Year (i.e. between 1 April and 30 June) their initial fee will be the whole of the annual fee prescribed in the Annual Membership Fee Schedule; however it will not fall due again until 1 July of the subsequent year.

What fees should I expect an accredited access consultant to charge?

Under the Trade Practices Act it is illegal to publish or establish bench marks for fee scheduling in a competitive and free trade market.

Fees are established based on years of experience the type of services required, etc. For instance in areas of high litigation, fees are proportional to the risk.

Always ensure your access consultant has the appropriate level of Professional Indemnity and Public Liability cover.

Membership Information

How do I go about becoming a member?

Please read carefully all the documentation available to you under the other Membership Information pages.

If you have any queries, please contact the Office Administrator: Liz Bray

How long does it take to process a membership application?

It is usual to allow at least two months. The process on receipt of your application is as follows:

  • the Membership Committee reviews the application
  • contacts referees
  • possibly talks to you for any clarification or to request additional information
  • makes a recommendation to the Management Committee to accept the application, to accept the application as submitted, or to offer an alternate membership category, and
  • notifies you of the Membership Committee’s decision.

I am associate member and want to upgrade to be an accredited member but am having difficulty in finding a proposer and seconder. I know each of them must be accredited members. What can I do?

Consider approaching an accredited member in your location to see if they are willing to provide you with some mentoring.

Through mentoring you can consolidate your skills, work on others areas that need improvement but most of all establish collegial support for them to nominate your upgrade to accreditation.

You should also be participating in the Continuing Professional Development program to show evidence of your serious intent to become an accredited access consultant.

I am not a member of ACA but would like to apply for accredited membership. I do not know any other members to propose and second my application. I know each of them must be accredited members. What can I do?

Even though you may have the minimum six years prior experience to qualify as an accredited member you must have a proposer and seconder to nominate you.

The best way would be to apply for associate membership and in your application make a request to the Secretary to have ACA nominate a proposer and seconder on your behalf.

If accepted as an associate member you are required to participate in at least three years of the Continuing Professional Development program (this can be retrospective allowing qualifying after twelve months) and if necessary seek out mentoring with other accredited members willing to assist.

Through networking you should then be able to source nominators to propose and second your upgrade to an accredited member.

I do not have any experience as an access consultant but am keen to follow this as a career? What are my options?

You may already have suitable qualifications, such as in the fields of Occupational Therapy, Building Surveying, Drafting, Architecture, or Social Science, etc. as a solid foundation for pursuing professional career path as an access consultant.

If this is the case you may be eligible to apply for the base entry level as an associate class of member before upgrading after three years having participated in the Continuous Professional Development (CPD) Program and successfully passing the Accreditation Assessment Test.

There are currently no formal accredited training courses to become an access consultant. The Association is in the process of initiating the development of courses that are intended to be offered at Certificate IV TAFE level with various study modules that can be tailored to suit your interests but are structured around ninety five identified competencies for an access consultant. At this time we cannot advise on when these courses will be available.

Some of our accredited members offer a mentoring program to help progress associates or even affiliate members to attain accredited membership.

I wish to upgrade to another membership category. Do I have to complete a Membership Application Form?

Yes, members wishing to upgrade from one category of membership to another will need to complete a new Membership Application Form, and submit this, together with substantiating documentary evidence and pay the appropriate fee to the Association of Consultants in Access Australia.