Step 1: Initial meeting
If you are unsure whether an external assessment is what you need, you can schedule a meeting with BASE to discuss your service and decide whether you need an external assessment or a review of your service. We can also support you if you are new to the SEQF and want to develop your service.  Book an initial meeting 

Step 2: Register
If you require an SEQF model fidelity external assessment, please register your interest here 

Step 3: Initiation
BASE will allocate as assessment team of two Inclusive Training CIC Associates, with a delegated Lead Assessor.  We will introduce the Assessors to the service provider.  The Lead Assessor will request the following information two weeks prior to the external assessment:

• A full list of clients within a three-year period on a pre-prepared data spreadsheet. This will capture demographics, timeline, current status, and job outcome details. Demographic information should include official statistics about the local population (from Nomisweb) as well as data on clients’ age, gender, and ethnicity. Timeline should include the referral date, start of provision date, and any job start/end dates for each client. Current status and job outcome should provide details of clients’ journey and sustained paid work. 
• KPI data showing calculation methods.
• The SEQF Self-Assessment parts of the SEQF Assessment tool completed.
• A schedule for the two-days assessment.

Step 4: External Assessment
The assessment team will select a client (jobseekers and supported employees) sample of 10 – 15 clients. The provider will be asked to provide detailed case notes and documentation associated with the selected clients on the days of the assessment. Case notes can be redacted by providers to remove identifying information if required and all selected clients will be allocated a unique reference number.   BASE/ Inclusive Trading Associates are happy to sign non-disclosure agreements or confidentiality agreements if the provider requires this to happen. The service provider will be asked to create a schedule for the two days assessment (more detail is provided in the following section). 
 
Step 5: Feedback
The Assessors will give you feedback as they go through the assessment process and meet with you on its completion to explain the interim results of the assessment. You can challenge any findings at this point. The Assessment team will complete a report on the assessment visit and submit this for internal moderation.  Once BASE have internally moderated the report this will be sent to you within 2 weeks of the assessment. 
The report will detail the final scoring for each of the stages; an overall impression and background on the provider; and highlight the findings of good practice and areas for improvement for each criterion. BASE is keen to support and advise on any ongoing improvement actions that you may wish to put in place. We would discuss this with you during the assessment process.
The provider will have 5 working days from receiving the report to advise BASE or any factual inaccuracies.
A final report will be sent to the provider and to any associated third-party organisations. BASE will request that the provider submits an action plan based around the report’s recommendations. BASE will maintain a record of all assessments and will issue a relevant SEQF certification mark if appropriate. This will be accompanied by a document outlining the regulations, terms and conditions of using the SEQF certification mark. 
 
Step 6: Validity 
There are four potential assessment outcomes: 

1. Providers scoring 90% or higher in their overall scoring plus ≥ 20 total in the following Key Performance Indicators 2.2A + 2.2B +2.2E will receive the Excellent Model Fidelity certification mark.
2. Providers scoring between 75% and 89.9% in their overall scoring plus ≥ 15 total in the following Key Performance Indicators 2.2A + 2.2B + 2.2E will receive the Good Model Fidelity certification mark.
3. Providers scoring between 55% and 74.9% in their overall scoring plus ≥ 10 total in the following Key Performance Indicators 2.2A + 2.2B + 2.2E will receive the Accredited Model Fidelity certification mark.
4. Providers scoring less than 55% do not receive a certification mark, but receive detailed formative feedback and can be assessed again in the future.

The certification mark is awarded for 3 years subject to BASE receiving an annual self-assessment, updated action plan and KPIs from the provider service.
BASE are proud to advise that the certification marks have been approved by the Intellectual Property Office.