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What does it mean to be BACP accredited?
BACP accreditation is the mark of a high quality, professional practitioner training course. It guarantees a standard of training accepted for BACP membership, registration and accreditation. All practising BACP members must be registered or working towards registration. See Registered membership. Accreditation is a quality standard for experienced practitioners, designed to recognise your capacity for independent, ethical and competent practice. Your course does not have to be BACP-accredited, but if it’s not you’ll need to take our Certificate of Proficiency before you can progress to become a registered member or be eligible for our accreditation scheme. The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) is a professional body for counsellors and psychotherapists practising in the United Kingdom.
What is the difference between BACP registered and accredited?
All practising BACP members must be registered or working towards registration. See Registered membership. Accreditation is a quality standard for experienced practitioners, designed to recognise your capacity for independent, ethical and competent practice. CPCAB is an awarding organisation – also known as an awarding body or examination board which awards qualifications – whereas BACP is a professional membership body which represents the interests of counselling. Below level 7, UKCP members are permitted to use the title Psychotherapeutic Counsellor, this is normally a 3 year training. Other bodies such as BACP allow members to choose whether they call themselves a psychotherapist or a counsellor. International membership The Professional Standards Authority’s accredited register scheme applies to the UK only and has no jurisdiction in either British Crown Dependencies or British Overseas Territories.
What is needed for BACP accreditation?
You must have completed and graduated from a BACP accredited course, or professional counselling or psychotherapy training that: included at least 450 hours of tutor contact hours, over two years (part-time) or one year (full-time) included a supervised placement as an integral part of the training. ‘Your core practitioner training should be at the minimum level of a diploma in counselling or psychotherapy at minimum of level 4, but could be a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree or doctorate. ‘Your course should be at least one year full-time or two years’ part-time classroom-based tuition. There are currently no laws in the UK regarding counselling and psychotherapy. However guidelines recommend that, in order to practice, counsellors should have completed at least an appropriate diploma, or completed a course that was a minimum of 400 hours therapy training. To practise as a counsellor employers will require you to have undertaken professional training and you’ll need a counselling qualification at foundation degree/diploma level to join a professional body or to become accredited. Master’s in Counseling A master’s is the highest level of education required for licensure as a counselor in all 50 states and Washington DC. At the master’s level, you will have the opportunity to focus your studies on a specific area of counseling, laying the groundwork for your counseling license and your career. You can refer to yourself as a Registered Member of BACP, and describe yourself as a Registered counsellor (or psychotherapist or counselling professional). You can also use the designatory letters Registered Member MBACP.
What is a BACP accredited counsellor?
BACP accreditation schemes aim to recognise the achievement of high standards of knowledge, experience and development in counselling and psychotherapy. They help clients, employers, practitioners and students to make an informed decision when choosing a therapist, service or training course. BACP is the leading professional association for members of the counselling professions in the UK with more than 50,000 members. We work to promote the role and relevance of the counselling professions in improving psychological wellbeing and mental health and to develop safe, ethical and competent practice. All practising members of BACP must either be registered or be working towards registration. Joining the BACP Register demonstrates that you meet high standards of proficiency, professionalism and ethical practice. Increasingly employers and clients are checking the Register when recruiting or choosing a therapist. Training usually takes four years, combining study with clinical training under supervision and provided by a number of organisations, which are usually accredited by the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP), the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy or the British Psychoanalytic Council.
What does BACP approved mean?
BACP accreditation is the mark of a high quality, professional practitioner training course. It guarantees a standard of training accepted for BACP membership, registration and accreditation. However, the BACP accreditation process is a very well thought out initiation into the higher echelons of counselling and psychotherapeutic practice. I highly recommend it as a process to fellow practitioners for fundamental personal and professional self-development. NCS is working hard to ensure that it is as widely recognised as BACP. As NCS holds a register that is accredited by the PSA, there is no reason why it should be seen less favourably than BACP. If you encounter a difficulty of this type, please contact NCS’s Membership Services for assistance. What is the difference between BACP and UKCP? The BACP trains counsellors and psychotherapists and the UKCP trains psychotherapists. They are the two main and the largest registering bodies in the UK. To become a registered member, a therapist must either have passed a BACP-accredited training course or our own Certificate of Proficiency. They also have to agree to the Register terms and conditions, which include committing to our Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions and Professional Conduct Procedure.
Is BACP accreditation worth it?
However, the BACP accreditation process is a very well thought out initiation into the higher echelons of counselling and psychotherapeutic practice. I highly recommend it as a process to fellow practitioners for fundamental personal and professional self-development. Accreditation requires a detailed application and assessment process which can take up to six months to complete. You’ll need to complete our online application form which requires: evidence of your training, practice and supervision. After completing Bachelor’s degree in Social Science, Sociology, Education, Social Work, or in a similar filed/ Bachelor degree in Medical Science, Nursing, Allied Medical Science, or in a similar field, you can pursue a Post-Graduate Diploma or similar course in Counselling/ Mental Health/ Career counselling. Overseas psychologists from any country in the world can register with the HCPC in the UK and use the protected ‘practitioner psychologist’ titles such as clinical psychologist or counselling psychologist, thus qualifying them to practice in the UK. Overseas psychologists from any country in the world can register with the HCPC in the UK and use the protected ‘practitioner psychologist’ titles such as clinical psychologist or counselling psychologist, thus qualifying them to practice in the UK.
How long does it take for BACP accreditation?
The average time is 18-20 weeks from the date you paid, except for a Provisional Accreditation application for graduates of BABCP Level 2 Accredited courses which can be 8-12 weeks. Your course does not have to be BACP-accredited, but if it’s not you’ll need to take our Certificate of Proficiency before you can progress to become a registered member or be eligible for our accreditation scheme. Graduates have to register as Registered Counsellors within three (3) years of completion of their academic and practical training. The six (6) months practicum must be integrated into the four (4) year accredited programme. Your course should be at least one year full-time or two years’ part-time classroom-based tuition. It should also include an integral, supervised placements of at least 100 hours, allowing you to work within an organisation and practise your skills with clients under supervision.
How many hours do you need for BACP accreditation?
Part F: Practice submitted under Criterion 4.1 You must give details of at least 450 hours of counselling/psychotherapy practice. You should show at least three and not more than six years practice. (These do not have to be calendar years, they could be separate 12-month periods and do not have to be consecutive.) There are currently no laws in the UK regarding counselling and psychotherapy. However guidelines recommend that, in order to practice, counsellors should have completed at least an appropriate diploma, or completed a course that was a minimum of 400 hours therapy training. There are no set entry requirements to become a counsellor as it is a profession that benefits from many skillsets. Often people move into this career later in life, allowing them to apply a broad range of skills and experience, often motivated by their own challenges to help others. To work in the NHS as a counsellor, as a minimum you will need to be registered on a counselling or psychotherapy register accredited by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA). You could do a diploma, degree or postgraduate course in counselling or psychotherapy. You might be able to study counselling alongside another subject like psychology, sociology or criminology. You should look for a course that includes practical skills training and supervised work placements. You could do a diploma, degree or postgraduate course in counselling or psychotherapy. You might be able to study counselling alongside another subject like psychology, sociology or criminology. You should look for a course that includes practical skills training and supervised work placements.