PSRAS: Route 1

All candidates must complete and submit a portfolio of cases involving attendance at a police station for interview.

The purpose of the Portfolio is to:

• enable us to assess your competence to give advice in police stations
• encourage you to consider and reflect upon your performance in the police station Encourage your supervising solicitor to review your competence and to take steps to address any deficiencies

The portfolio of cases is submitted in two parts.

Part A consists of four cases provided in two separate submissions, in the following order:

• detailed reports of two cases where you have observed your supervising solicitor advising a client
• detailed reports of two cases where you have given advice to a client and have been observed by your supervising solicitor

These cases must be in chronological order and must be less than three months old.  Part A of a portfolio may be submitted at any time.

Part B consists of a submission of:

• detailed reports of a further five cases where you have advised a client alone

Please note: you cannot book the CIT until you have successfully completed Portfolio Part A and received your PIN from the Legal Aid Agency.

The purpose of Critical Incidents Test is to assess your effectiveness in advising and assisting clients at the police station. The CIT takes the form of a role play assessment under exam conditions.

All candidates must undertake the Critical Incidents Test.

This assessment is a live role-play test. The test aims to recreate a police station interview and uses audio recordings to provide information. You can intervene during set pauses to respond to information, request further information or to advise the client. The whole of the test is recorded for assessment purposes. The test is conducted on an individual basis and lasts a maximum of 45 minutes.

This test assesses whether your responses are appropriate, with reference to police station practice and procedure. It also allows for key skills to be assessed (for example communication, negotiation and assertiveness).

You can choose whether to attend a face-to-face or an online CIT.

This course is designed to assist you in the preparation of your portfolio of cases.

By the end of the course you will be familiar with the PSRAS regulations in relation to portfolios, including the requirements to ensure that your portfolio is technically compliant. You will be given guidance to ensure that the format and content of your portfolio is satisfactory.

This course also gives you the opportunity to consider a number of sample cases and receive advice on the strengths and weaknesses of each case’s presentation and substance.

Please note that this course also deals with the preparation of portfolios by solicitors seeking to attain the Police Station Qualification.

We strongly recommend that you do not book the CIT training course until you have completed 10 or more solo police station visits, as the content assumes you have this level of experience. If you have any queries, please email us at law-pdu@cardiff.ac.uk.

This course aims to prepare you for the Critical Incidents Test (CIT). The unusual nature of the CIT assessment makes this course particularly helpful.

It addresses the style of the test itself and the marking scheme. It will provide guidance on how to avoid making common mistakes.

You will have the opportunity to undertake some parts of a CIT in small online groups with other probationary representatives and solicitors.

The make-up of this course prompts discussion of police station practice and procedure and can assist you in improving your police station skills and technique generally.

We strongly recommend that you do not book the CIT training course until you have completed 10 or more solo police station visits, as the content assumes you have this level of experience. If you have any queries, please email us at law-pdu@cardiff.ac.uk.

This course aims to prepare you for the Critical Incidents Test (CIT). The unusual nature of the CIT assessment makes this course particularly helpful.

It addresses the style of the test itself and the marking scheme. It will provide guidance on how to avoid making common mistakes.

You will have the opportunity to undertake some parts of a CIT in small online groups with other probationary representatives and solicitors.

The make-up of this course prompts discussion of police station practice and procedure and can assist you in improving your police station skills and technique generally.