Criterion 2 requires you to present case material (a case study) showing how you use the approach you’ve described in Criterion 1 in your practice. You can write about your work with a single client or with two clients. You must use your case material to demonstrate your way of working (as described in Criterion 1) in practice.
All the interventions and approaches you describe in your case material for Criterion 2 must be included in and be consistent with your described way of working in Criterion 1.
The word limit for this criterion is 3,000 words.
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The word count given is for the whole criterion and your writing must include information to cover all the sub-criteria. You can approach this in the way you find easiest. For example, you may want to use headings to address each sub-criterion in turn or write one piece with each sub-criterion woven in and clearly referenced in the body of the text using parentheses e.g. (2.i, 2.ii, 2.iii) etc.
Your case material should cover the following five points:
i. Examples of the types of interventions and/or responses that you used, including why you used them and the impact this had on the client, the therapeutic relationship, and the therapeutic process
This sub-criterion is about how you practise. Your case material should demonstrate the way of working described previously under Criterion 1, point 1.
ii. Your awareness of the issues of difference and equality present in the relationship with your client, the impact these issues had on the therapeutic relationship and how you worked with these in the process with your client
This point refers to your awareness of issues of difference and equality as they presented in the relationship with your client, and the impact and approach chosen to address these. You need to use a specific example from your client work that illustrates the understanding and approach previously described in Criterion 1, point
iii. How you used self-reflection and self-awareness in the therapeutic process and relationship with your client
To cover this point, your case material must illustrate your own self-awareness as a practitioner and how you use this awareness of self in the therapeutic relationship with your client or clients. As previously, this should be a specific example that demonstrates your ability to use self-reflection and self-awareness to develop the therapeutic relationship and process.
iv. How you worked through an ethical consideration or issue using the Ethical Framework. You’ll need to describe the situation making reference to the specific elements of the Ethical Framework that informed your ethical decision-making process
To cover this sub-criterion adequately your case material needs to show that you work within BACP’s Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions and are able to use this appropriately in your therapeutic work. You need to give specific illustrations of how you've used the framework when working through an ethical issue in your practice, rather than make general points about things like contracting or maintaining confidentiality.
v. How you used supervision for the benefit of this client work. You’ll need to include the learning and awareness that you gained from supervision and how you subsequently applied this in the client work being used for your case material
To cover this point your case material should also show what you’ve learned and how you’ve gained awareness through your supervision and illustrate how you’ve applied this in your work with the client you’re using for the case material in Criterion 2.
You can write about one or two clients but no more than this. The client work doesn’t have to be ongoing, but if it’s finished, it should have ended no more than six months before you apply. Whichever client or clients you choose to write about, they should be typical of your current work as described elsewhere in your application.
Make sure the client can’t be identified from what you write but you don’t need to send written permission from the client with your application.
We do appreciate that you may have written a case study for another purpose, such as a course and want to use this. Remember that it’s important you demonstrate that you can meet the accreditation criteria. Case studies written for other purposes might not necessarily help you to do this – even if you chose the same client or clients you may need to significantly re-write the work in order to be successful.
All case material submitted should be commented on by your supervisor or supervisors in their supervisor statement.
The case material should illustrate self-reflection, give a sense of the relationship between you and your client or clients and show that the way of working described in Criterion 1 is consistent with the approach you used with your client or clients for the Criterion 2 case material. It shouldn’t be an account of the client’s story or a chronicle of events, but it can include extracts from client sessions.
You don’t have to present the case material as an academic essay; you may use headed paragraphs, bullet points, margin notes or a similar method for clarification. You don’t need to fully reference published work, authors, theories etc. unless you are quoting directly from someone’s work.
Supervisor's statement
You need to include a statement from the supervisor who supervised your case material (reflective practice Criterion 2). As this scheme is aligned with SCoPEd Column B competences, your supervisor should be familiar with the SCoPEd framework and able to comment on your practice in reference to the framework.
This form must be sent to your supervisor for completion. This form must be written by your supervisor and then signed by them to declare that this has been completed by them.
If you’ve not been with your current supervisor for at least six months you’ll need a statement from your previous supervisor as well.
If you’re no longer with the supervisor who supervised your case material, you’ll also need a statement from your current supervisor.