Accreditation

Although those Members who voted on this issue in 2005 narrowly asked the General Committee to take steps towards accreditation, the UKASFP currently does not offer accreditation in SF-practice to any course or individual, and the issue has not moved forward.  This was because of the practical difficulties, principally resources, required to enact accreditation in any form.

Hence, at least for the time being, members who may seek accreditation with the BACP, UKCP or even ultimately the UKASFP are reminded to keep records of all their professional activities, including (but not necessarily limited to) their practice, teaching given, CPD undertaken of all kinds, supervision etc.

Advice from those who have already gone down this route can be found as a document in the download area.

The General Committee would also welcome any volunteer who would monitor the National moves towards accreditation of practice, particularly with regard (but again not limited) to therapies, in order that they could offer informed advice to the Committee.

Link to the BACP: http://www.bacp.co.uk/

Link to the UKCP: http://www.psychotherapy.org.uk/

 

Tips when applying for BACP Accreditation

BACP have a consultancy system for accreditation.
For a modest fee, you can use the services of a consultant to guide you through the process.
This is a sound investment. It reduces the possibility of having an application rejected.
BACP also run seminars on Accreditation in major cities at regular intervals.
Information on these is available on the BACP website

Applying for accreditation requires considerable time - collecting information about training and supervision/ reflecting on professional and personal development issues / writing about your practice / finding appropriate case studies/ conversations with your supervisor. The paperwork can be frustrating!

Applications should demonstrate 'congruence' between training, philosophy and practice, as illustrated in the case study. The assessors are looking for consistency between what applicants are claiming to do, the content and length of their training and how they use it in practice.

Applicants need to describe their theoretical framework. In the case of SFT it is not good enough to say
that the theory is that there isn’t a theory! You need to articulate some of the foundational ideas
underpinning the approach.

Show respect for other therapeutic approaches.
Do not represent SFT as the best, or the only, way of helping clients to change.
Accreditation applications are not evangelical opportunities!

It is advisable that you do not present your work as that of a miracle worker. Cases where people dramatically turn their lives round after 30 minutes SF conversation with you are not the best examples to use for accreditation. You may have such experiences but accreditation assessors something more subtle!

Core training should be substantial. Courses less than 75 hours in length are regarded as ‘Professional Development,’  not core training.

Supervision should mirror the solution-focused process and although the supervisor need not be BACP accredited, s/he must be clearly competent to carry out the role.

Before submitting an application ask at least one person to be a ‘critical friend’ and ensure that you have met the requirements.

Be encouraged, other Solution-Focused practitioners have successfully negotiated the BACP Accreditation route!

Bill O’Connell
BACP Accredited Counsellor