UKIC Accreditation Working Group:
Assessing Conservators

 

The Accreditation Working Group has looked at different elements of what a competent conservator does. The conservator will be assessed to determine that performance is up to standard in the relevant elements with sufficient breadth of experience to establish professionalism. It is of course artificial to break any activity into separate parts and many of these skills are interrelated. In particular it is assumed that the section on ethics is not to be understood as a distinct activity but as a factor which should be considered in every part of a conservators work. The following areas were agreed at an open consultation meeting on the 3rd of December 1997. The methods of assessment for each can be laid out, using evidence from formal qualifications, experience, references, interviews etc. We are aiming to cover the essence of professional conservation. Comments would be particularly welcome on whether the 5 areas are useful categories, if anything has been left out or should not be included. Are all these of equal importance? Finally we would welcome comments on whether all of these issues should be considered and how are they best assessed. 1. Assessment of the object identify material identify decaying elements identification of damage which is acceptable or unacceptable identify use of object, past, current and future and its impact on its preservation needs identification of treatment options from: own experiences, review of literature to establish other possibilities developing innovative treatments if relevant suggest treatment options with resource implications if necessary review appropriateness of treatment in respect to object treat object, ensuring proposed treatment is consistently adequate as process continues assess treatment's success and recommend any further work necessary 2. Assessment of yourself knowledge of own skills and experience knowledge of own training and development needs knowing when a job is beyond own skills and where to refer to for advice or alternative conservation expertise knowing when a job is beyond your current skills but how you can develop skills appropriately to handle the project knowing when a job should not be carried out 3. Assessment of context/operating environment understanding importance of object in its historic context understanding importance of object in its present use knowing what client' requires from result of your work interpreting that into appropriate treatment schemes understand budget requirements and recommending work to acceptable ethical standards which also make fullest use of existing resources providing information of treatment and future care in a format which can be understood by user ensuring an item is provided with sufficient protection for its immediate transport and storage ensuring treatments are suitable for expected end use and environment ensuring user understands any ethical limitations on treatments proposed and undertaken 4. Business environment provide accurate estimates on treatment time, and if appropriate costs ensure variation to estimates are accurately and swiftly reported to user and any variation agreed ensure adequate security for items when in conservator's responsibility ensure insurance arrangements are adequate and responsibility clearly defined before accepting projects ensure accuracy of charging against advertised and agreed costs ensure accurate programming of work to provide completion of projects before agreed fixed dates compliance with legal frameworks, such as health and safety, biological and antiquities legislation. 5. Ethics/professional issues Ethics Compliance with the UKIC code of Ethics and standards of practice Treatment reversibility/necessity of treatment documentation standards advising when a treatment request is unethical CPD maintenance of up-to-date relevant skills and knowledge through study experimentation discussion conference attendance training etc. Professional Issues contribution to professional development by training assessing colleagues involvement in professional groups publication and advocacy

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Originally prepared by Jane Henderson on behalf of the UKIC Accreditation Working Group, December 1997. Web version prepared by Adrian Tribe, February 1998.