Collective mark regulations - BACP - British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy

Definitions

The following terms have these meanings throughout these Regulations:

“Association” means British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy

“Mark” means

BACP logo

Persons authorised to use the Mark

Members of BACP (the Association) are authorised to use the Mark in accordance with the conditions laid down below in the section ‘conditions of membership’.

Conditions of membership of the Association

The membership categories available and who may apply for them are set out in the Standing Orders as may change from time to time.

There are two kinds of membership, individual and organisational. Individual membership is available in a range of different levels.

All members must observe the Association's Articles, Standing Orders and Terms and Conditions. All members must agree to be bound by the Association’s Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions and Ethical Guidelines for Researching Counselling and Psychotherapy as well as the Professional Conduct Procedure.

In addition to the general conditions of membership above, specific levels of membership have additional criteria as set out below.

1. Criteria specific to different levels of membership

The policy below defines the criteria specific to each level of membership.

1.1. Student member

Student membership shall be open to members attending a counselling and/or psychotherapy course with a minimum of one year full-time or two years part-time which includes a supervised placement of at least 100 hours.

Student membership may be extended for a period of up to two years to allow for completion of placement hours, dissertations, examinations or the awarding of a graduation certificate.

Any current member can move into the student member category, upon provision of acceptable evidence that they meet the student membership criteria. However, those within the category will not be entitled to use designatory letters and will lose accredited or registered statuses. The member will also not be eligible for a pro rata refund of previously paid membership fees.

Upon successful completion of and graduation from the course, student members may upgrade their membership to individual member by submitting sufficient evidence to BACP, such as a copy of their graduation certificate. They will not be required to pay any additional membership fees, to reflect the difference between the two categories, during the current membership subscription.

1.2. Individual member

This category of membership is open to any person who has successfully completed and graduated from a one year full-time or two years part-time counselling and/or psychotherapy qualification which includes a supervised placement of at least 100 hours. The individual will be subject to BACP’s vetting process.

The individual member category is a transitional membership category giving a maximum period of 24 months, during which time all practising members are expected to achieve registered status. Where registered status is not achieved within this timeframe membership will be withdrawn.

All non-practising members within the individual member category are required to transfer to the retired member category within 24 months of entering the individual member category to avoid their membership being withdrawn.

Individual members are not entitled to use designatory letters

1.3. Registered member (MBACP)

This category of membership is open to Individual members who have completed a BACP Accredited course or have successfully passed the Certificate of Proficiency and signed up to the Terms and Conditions of membership of the BACP Register. Registered Member MBACP requires continued satisfaction of the conditions for renewal and is subject to audit.

All members within the registered member MBACP category will have their details published on the online BACP Register and have the use of a personalised logo and designatory letters.

As a registered member MBACP members acknowledge and commit to the annual renewal of their registration alongside their membership. Should the online terms and conditions not be completed annually, their membership will not be renewed until such a time as they are completed again along with any other appropriate terms and conditions or declarations.

Non-practising members within the registered member MBACP category of membership may transfer to the retired member category but will no longer have registered status and will not appear on the online BACP Register.

1.4. Registered member MBACP (Accred)

This category of membership is open to registered members who have met the criteria for BACP accredited status and meet the criteria for accreditation and registration renewal. Registered Accredited Member MBACP requires continued satisfaction of the conditions for renewal and is subject to audit. (See below section on BACP Accreditation for information on who may apply for accreditation.)

All members within the registered member MBACP (Accred) category will have their details published on the online BACP Register and have the use of a personalised logo and designatory letters.

As a registered member MBACP (Accred), members acknowledge and commit to the annual renewal of their registration alongside their accreditation and membership. Any member who does not renew their accreditation, registration and membership will have their membership lapsed until such a time as all elements are completed. Further reinstatement declarations, terms and conditions and additional fees may be required.

Non-practising members within the registered member MBACP (Accred) category of membership may transfer to the retired member category but will no longer be registered and accredited and will not appear on the online BACP Register.

1.5. Registered member MBACP (Snr Accred)

This category of membership is only available to registered member MBACP (Accred)s whose practice meets the criteria published on the BACP website or application form. They must successfully submit an application for senior accreditation and pay the application fee. We are not currently accepting any new applications for this category.

All members within the registered member MBACP (Snr Accred) category will have their details published on the online BACP Register and have the use of a personalised logo and designatory letters.

As a registered member MBACP (Snr Accred), members acknowledge and commit to the annual renewal of their registration alongside their accreditation and membership. For any member not renewing their accreditation, registration and membership, their membership will be lapsed until such a time as all elements are completed. Further reinstatement declarations, terms and conditions and additional fees may be required.

Non-practising members within the registered member MBACP (Snr Accred) category of membership may transfer to the retired member category but will no longer be registered and accredited and will not appear on the online BACP Register.

1.6. Retired member

Non-practising members are welcome to transfer to the retired member category through the completion of a transfer form. BACP uses the Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions’ definition of a practitioner to determine whether a member is practising or non-practising. This membership category allows non-practising members to stay in touch with BACP and the profession, whilst BACP remains connected with the experience and knowledge of its members.

Members in the retired member category will not retain any designatory letters or accreditation and registration statuses, and will no longer be listed on the online BACP Register.

Each year at renewal retired members will be asked to complete a declaration to confirm that they continue to be non-practising. If a retired member wishes to take up practice again they should let BACP know as soon as possible and their membership will be transferred to an appropriate membership category, with the proviso that they meet all the eligibility criteria, before they commence their practice.

1.7. International membership

All international members who are registered members will be listed on the BACP Register and entitled to use the designatory title associated with their relevant membership category.

1.8. BACP Accreditation

Applications for accreditation are open to any registered member MBACP who has been in practice for a minimum of three years and can meet the eligibility and reflective practice criteria. BACP reserves the right to withdraw or amend at any time, and without notice, the accreditation criteria for any of the schemes. The most up to date criteria will always be published on this website.

Members can choose to lapse the accreditation element of their membership but continue as a registered member MBACP subject to meeting the terms and conditions of the Register.

Non-practising members within the accredited member categories of membership may transfer to the retired member category but will no longer have registered and accredited status and will no longer appear on the online BACP Register.

When you lapse, cancel or cease your registered accredited member membership you will not have the benefits this category confers, not be on the BACP Register, no longer be able to use the BACP Register logo and may not refer to yourself using any designatory letters or titles.

1.9. Organisational membership

This category of membership is open to organisations which observe and adhere to the Association’s Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions. Any Organisational members that undertake research shall also agree to observe and adhere to the Association’s Ethical Guidelines for Researching Counselling and Psychotherapy. Organisational Members will be subject to the Professional Conduct Procedure for any alleged breaches of the Ethical Guidelines and will also be subject to such other membership conditions as the Board of Governors may from time to time determine.

Organisational Membership shall be open to organisations which:

offer counselling and/or psychotherapy services to clients; and/or
offer direct services to counsellors and/or psychotherapists; and/or
offer training to counsellors and/or psychotherapists; and/or
have personnel who use counselling skills in the course of their work.

2. Withdrawal of membership

The Association reserves the right to withdraw a member’s membership for reasons other than professional conduct related matters. This policy details the more specific reasons BACP may withdraw your membership.

All members, of every category of membership need to be concerned with the maintenance of good practice within the profession and commit themselves to practising according to the Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions and the Professional Conduct Procedure documents which set out the standards or professional conduct to which members must adhere.

The Association may end membership, and stop providing services or products and end our agreement, with immediate effect. Any product or services linked to membership will stop at the same time, i.e. therapist directory entry.

2.1. Reasons for withdrawing membership

BACP’s Articles of Association detail some of the overarching reasons members may cease to be a member or have their membership withdrawn (Article 12) unless the Board of Governors determines otherwise.

Some more practical examples of why we may withdraw membership are:

if a member is unsuccessful in attaining registered member status (Article 12.5(h)(i)(k))
if a member is unsuccessful in passing the Certificate of Proficiency (after three attempts) (Article 12.5(h)(i)(k))
if a member is unsuccessful in passing the Register audit (Article 12.5(i)(j)(k))
if a member is subsequently found to be ineligible for a membership category (Article 12.5 (a))
you give us false or misleading information at any time (Article 12.5 (a))
you inappropriately let someone else use your membership or associated products and services (Article 12.4)

These examples are not exhaustive and merely demonstrate some circumstances that may result in the withdrawal of membership.

2.2. Immediate withdrawal

We may also end or withdraw membership immediately (and stop providing services and products) if we have reasonable grounds for thinking that you have done any of the following:

you have put us in a position where we might break a law, regulation, code or other duty that applies to us if we continue your membership
you behave in a threatening or abusive manner to our staff
we believe that maintaining your membership might expose us to action or censure from any regulator or law enforcement agency.

(This list is not exhaustive.)

Subject to the Articles of Association a member may be removed from membership if found guilty of a disciplinary offence. The procedure for dealing with complaints against members is specified in the Professional Conduct Procedure. Such terms shall include the right to a fair hearing, the right to representation, and a right of appeal.

2.3. Other products and services

On ending of membership all benefits, products and services will cease and you will not be entitled to access these. Members are advised that BACP may also, in certain circumstances, reassess the membership category of any member whose membership was withdrawn.

2.4. Refunds

If membership is ended for any reason no refund of membership subscriptions, products or services will be made.

Conditions of use of the Mark

Non-registered members and non-accredited organisations

Student members, newly qualified members, retired members and organisations are not able to use the Mark in the form of designatory letters, logos or certificates.

Student members, newly qualified members, retired members and organisations can use the Mark to describe their relationship with the Association, for example, Student Member of BACP or an Individual Member of BACP (this designation is specifically for members belonging to the Individual Member category and shouldn’t be used by those in other categories, including retired members).

Organisational members can describe their organisation as an Organisational Member of BACP but must not present people working for or on behalf of the organisation as being BACP members unless they hold their own individual membership.

Registered members

Registered members can use the Mark across online and print media to promote their membership of the Association. Registered members will be provided with a unique logo which incorporates the Mark and which can be displayed on the member’s website as well as on printed materials and on advertisements.

Registered members can use the Mark to refer to themselves as Registered Member of BACP and can also use the Mark within the designatory letters Registered Member MBACP.

Accredited members

Accredited members can use the Mark to refer to themselves as an Accredited Member of BACP or a Senior Accredited Member of BACP. The Mark can be used in conjunction with any other accreditations held by the accredited member.

Accredited members can use the Mark within the designatory letters Registered Member MBACP (Accred) or Registered Member MBACP (Snr Accred). Accredited members will be provided with a unique logo which incorporates the Mark and which can be displayed on the member’s website as well as on printed materials and on advertisements.

General

The Mark must be used in its original format, the colour, typeface, orientation or aspect ratio must not be amended. The Mark must be used in accordance with the BACP brand guidelines given in Promoting your membership.

Members are only authorised to use the Mark as defined in these regulations. Members are not authorised to use other trade marks owned by the Association which incorporate the Mark unless permission is expressly granted. Members are not authorised to use the Mark together with other marks, words, logos or figurative elements unless permission to do so is expressly granted.

The Mark should only be used in relation to counselling or psychotherapy work. If other, complementary services are provided by the member, the Mark should not be used in any way which states or implies that the member’s competencies in other areas are endorsed by the Association.

If you leave BACP through cancellation, termination of membership by BACP or non-renewal, you should make sure that any mention of BACP membership and the associated logos are removed from your website and promotional materials straight away.

When using the Mark, members will always state that the Mark is a collective mark owned by British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. It is acceptable for this statement to be included in the small print on websites and written materials.

Procedure for taking action against misuse of the Mark

Members found to be using the Mark when not permitted to do so, or using the Mark in a manner that is inconsistent with the right of use, and/or suggesting explicitly or by implication that the use of designatory letters represents a qualification of any kind, may be subject to the Association’s Professional Conduct Procedures and/or have their continuing membership of the Association considered by the Board of Governors under powers derived from the Articles of Association. This may include the imposition of sanctions up to and including the termination of membership of BACP.

In the first instance, the Association will discuss the matter with the member. If the Mark continues to be misused, the matter will be escalated in accordance with the Professional Conduct Procedures and will be treated as a breach of the Ethical Framework. The detailed procedure for handling complaints against a member apply equally to complaints made by the Association regarding use of the Mark.

When it is deemed necessary, the Association may also refer cases to the Advertising Standards Authority or the relevant Trading Standards authority.

Procedure for dealing with appeals against refusal of or cancellation of authorisation to use the Mark

Appeals against decisions to refuse or cancel authorisation to use the Mark will be dealt with in accordance with the appeal procedure laid out in the Professional Conduct Procedures.