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Bapca in Action

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Here you learn about some of BAPCA commitments to develop and promote the Person-Centred Approach in the UK and worldwide. You might also have an overall view of the constant work that the coordinating group does with the co-operation of BAPCA members.

Minutes from BAPCA meetings...

BAPCA is constantly working to support its members and promote the PCA in the UK and worldwide. If you are a BAPCA member, you can access minutes of recent and past BAPCA CG and AGM meetings logging in to your online account here.

The Directories of BAPCA Members...

BAPCA has developed a widely inclusive directory to welcome all its members. You may choose to join one or more of the four groups: practitioners; supervisors; trainers; students and associated members. Click here to learn more about your options and about how to join our growing directories.

Grant to support meta-analysis research into the efficacy of Person-Centred and Experiential Therapies...

BAPCA granted £20.000 to support the meta-analysis research of the outcomes of person-centred and experiential therapies developed by Prof. Robert Elliott and Beth Freire, from Strathclyde University in Glasgow, as a sign of its commitment to promote and develop the PCA. Click here to read the summary of the results.

BAPCA raising awareness about the regulation process of counselling and other talking therapies in the UK...

BAPCA wishes to facilitate access to as much information as possible about the current move towards statutory regulation of the psychological therapies in the UK. The opinions expressed in the links and articles below, however, are from their respective authors and, unless stated otherwise, do not necessarily represent the views of the Association.

Past actions...

BAPCA Regulation Working Group's letter to Marc Seale, Chief Executive of the Health Professions Council - May 2010 > Reply Letter by Marc Seale

Coordinating Group's Response to BAPCA Members' Open Letter: The Future of the Person-Centred Approach in the UK and the Case against HPC and State Regulation

Results of BAPCA Survey on Statutory Regulation
BAPCA Coordinating Group presents the results of a survey carried out to identify members' views on the regulation of psychotherapy and counselling.

BAPCA Report: Meeting with Shadow Health Minister, November 2009 - Allan Turner and Teresa Cosgrove represent BAPCA at the meeting in the Grand Committee Room at Westminster Palace called by Anne Milton, MP and Shadow Health Minister.

BAPCA Report - The regulation of psychotherapists and counsellors, Stakeholder’s event in Manchester on 31 March 2009

BAPCA as a partner in the conference 'Psychological Therapies in the NHS: Science, Practice and Policy' 27 & 28 Nov 2008, London - Read BAPCA Report

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No Statutory Regulation

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NO STATUTORY REGULATION! A message from our Convenor.

Dear BAPCA Member

You will no doubt have been aware of the recent debates surrounding the statutory regulation of counselling and psychotherapy through the protection of the adjectival titles. Members of BAPCA commenced a bid to counter the move (see the Open Letter (2009) on the BACPA website) as it was considered that the model of regulation being proposed by HPC was not a values congruent model with person-centred theory. Following a membership survey on regulation a motion was voted on and passed with a significant majority at the 2010 AGM to assertively oppose HPC Regulation and to actively explore alternative approaches. The BAPCA CG made the bold step of contributing £1000 of funds to support the judicial review that recently highlighted significant shortcomings in how the HPC had approach their brief. BAPCA members then initiated a second Open Letter to BACP that attracted over 300 BACP members as signatories requesting that BACP consult with members to explore possible alternatives to HPC regulation.

It is with this in mind that we are pleased to report that the Government have announced they will not pursue the previous administration’s intent for increasing the number of professions to be subject to statutory regulation. The full document from the Command Paper 'Enabling Excellence' can be viewed by following the link:

(http://www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/documents/digitalasset/dh_124374.pdf p. 16).

It is clear from this that the Government’s preferred position is that professions such as counselling and psychotherapy be permitted to continue to operate under voluntary registers.The registering organisations will be subject to audit by the Professional Standards Authority (formally known as the Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence: (CHRE). The Alliance for Counselling and Psychotherapy have released a document setting out the current picture in more detail. However, it is clear in their statement that they intend to continue to campaign as “a counterweight was needed to the centralising, standardising and protectionist tendencies which all professions tend to exhibit, which were exemplified by, and a key driver of, the HPC project.” Click here for the full Alliance statement.

BAPCA Regulation Working Group would like to thank all members, individually and collectively, who supported the initiative to reject HPC Statutory Regulation. We will continue to work and serve in your interests seeking the best possible form of regulation for person-centred counsellor and psychotherapists and for the future accessibility to Person-centred therapy for clients.