Faced with the problems and challenges of an ageing society and convinced of theimportance to fully validate the knowledge, competences and skills adult learners havedeveloped in non-formal training and/or work settings, the FamCompass project sets outto develop a tool to assess family related skills and competences: the FamilyCompetences Portfolio (FamCompass). Various tools for the assessment of priorlearning (APL) have recently been developed. However, most of them lack an interestfor the specific knowledge, competences and skills persons have developed in theirfamily role. Moreover, most existing tools in this area exclusively focus on the entry orre-entry on the labour market.Many professions still require formal diplomas and certificates, even if several Europeancountries stimulate the process of recruiting on the basis of APL. This goes especiallyfor jobs in the social sector, funded by the government. It is this sector that deals themost with a growing need for qualified personnel and that can benefit the most of theinput of family related competences. To lower the barriers to formal learning and toimprove the attractiveness and accessibility of the opportunities of LLL in these areas,there is need for a tool that can assess this type of competences in an objective way.The FamCompass will examine the types of knowledge, skills and competencies,required in the formal training programmes in social work related to families, care andchildcare. It will assess much more than practical skills and personality characteristics,because taking up family responsibilities also stimulates to acquire knowledge manyschool programmes in the social sector have on offer. Furthermore, the FamCompasswill validate other types of knowledge and competencies, e.g. developed in voluntarywork or political activities, related to family care and child rearing.