As independent chair of the SCoPEd Oversight Committee, I’m pleased to confirm that all partners have formally decided to adopt the SCoPEd framework. This has been decided individually by each of the partners.

This means that the six SCoPEd partners have each agreed:

  • to align their membership categories to reflect the SCoPEd framework
  • to develop a shared agreement on pathways and routes between SCoPEd columns

The partners will continue to work collectively as they move towards adopting and implementing the framework. The partners will be in touch with their members and registrants with regards to what the next steps and timelines are for their own organisation.

The SCoPEd partner organisations are:

  • Association of Christians in Counselling and Linked Professions (ACC)
  • British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)
  • British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC)
  • Human Givens Institute (HGI)
  • National Counselling Society (NCS)
  • UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP)

Collectively, the SCoPEd partners represent approximately 75,000 counsellors and psychotherapists from a diverse range of backgrounds, approaches, philosophies, and professional training.

If you have any questions, please contact your membership organisation via their usual channels.

Paul Buckley, Independent Chair of the SCoPEd Oversight Committee.

Paul Buckley, Independent Chair SCoPEd Oversight Committee

Paul Buckley, Independent Chair SCoPEd Oversight Committee

What this means for BACP and our members

Todays announcement marks BACP’s agreement to adopt SCoPEd and we’ll now enter a SCoPEd implementation period where we will look at how SCoPEd will be integrated into our processes and systems. There will be no immediate changes and we’ll continue to regularly engage with our members and keep you updated with the next steps as we move forward.

Natalie Bailey, Chair of BACP, said: "The adoption of SCoPEd gives us a platform to enable a credible, diverse and thriving counselling and psychotherapy profession that is better understood, valued and trusted by clients, employers, commissioners and society."

"Over the coming weeks and months, BACP will be engaging with all members to let you know about the plans to make the vision to provide greater opportunities for all our members, wherever you are on your professional journey, a reality."

She added: "The recently published SCoPEd framework Impact Assessment will be an important part of the ongoing conversation we will continue to have with members about all aspects of SCoPEd and the value, leadership and support that BACP provides for its membership."

What happens next and what do you need to do

You don’t need to do anything at this stage. In fact, many of our members won’t need to change anything as a result of SCoPEd, but we believe that all members will benefit as a result of having their BACP membership category aligned to SCoPEd as a shared standards framework.  

We’ve been looking at agreed mechanisms, pathways and routes with partners for moving between membership categories that will be aligned to the SCoPEd framework. These will need to be reflected within BACP's processes and systems with our existing membership and accreditation standards being refined.  

It will take time for BACP to make these changes, and we won’t be rushing this important work.

This means that all BACP’s current membership processes and criteria for applying for membership, individual accreditation and moving between membership categories will remain as they are until towards the end of 2023.

There will be changes after this as we start to enter our SCoPEd transition period which we envisage will start early 2024 and last approximately two years, We’ll share more detail with you about this in the next few months. Existing training, qualifications and experience will still be valid, and you will still be able to progress from one membership category to another during the transition period. BACP will be here to support and guide you throughout.

In the meantime, if you do have any questions, please contact our Customer Services team.

Find out more...