British Association for Counselling
Encyclopedia
The British Association for Counselling grew from the Standing Conference for the Advancement of Counselling, a grouping of organisations inaugurated in 1970 at the instigation of the National Council for Voluntary Organisations
. Membership was extended to include individuals when in 1977, with the aid of a grant from the Home Office Voluntary Service Unit, the British Association for Counselling was founded.
In 1978 the headquarters was moved from London
to Rugby
courtesy of the National Marriage Guidance Council which provided free accommodation to help the association establish itself. The Association is now located in Lutterworth
.
. It changed its name to the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).
BACP is now the largest and broadest body within the sector with more than 32,000 members.
BACP participates in the development of counselling and psychotherapy at an international level.
. The governing instrument is the Memorandum and Articles of the Association. The Trustees, known collectively as the Board of Governors, govern the Association.
BACP operates specialist interest divisions and forums that focus on informing members and the public:
Currently it is therefore possible to practice as a Counsellor and/or Psychotherapist in the UK without having to be accredited by or be a member of the BACP or similar body.
: Psychotherapist, former lobbyist and former editor of the LabourList website.
Alex Hooper-Hodson
John Rowan (psychologist)
National Council for Voluntary Organisations
The National Council for Voluntary Organisations is the umbrella body for the voluntary and community sector in England. NCVO works to support the voluntary and community sector and to create an environment in which an independent civil society can flourish...
. Membership was extended to include individuals when in 1977, with the aid of a grant from the Home Office Voluntary Service Unit, the British Association for Counselling was founded.
In 1978 the headquarters was moved from London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to Rugby
Rugby, Warwickshire
Rugby is a market town in Warwickshire, England, located on the River Avon. The town has a population of 61,988 making it the second largest town in the county...
courtesy of the National Marriage Guidance Council which provided free accommodation to help the association establish itself. The Association is now located in Lutterworth
Lutterworth
Lutterworth is a market town and civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England. The town is located in southern Leicestershire, north of Rugby, in Warwickshire and south of Leicester. It had a population of 8,293 in the 2001 UK census....
.
BAC becomes BACP
In September 2000, the Association recognised that it no longer represented just counselling, but also psychotherapyPsychotherapy
Psychotherapy is a general term referring to any form of therapeutic interaction or treatment contracted between a trained professional and a client or patient; family, couple or group...
. It changed its name to the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).
BACP is now the largest and broadest body within the sector with more than 32,000 members.
BACP participates in the development of counselling and psychotherapy at an international level.
How BACP is run
BACP is a company limited by guarantee and a registered CharityCharitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
. The governing instrument is the Memorandum and Articles of the Association. The Trustees, known collectively as the Board of Governors, govern the Association.
BACP operates specialist interest divisions and forums that focus on informing members and the public:
- Children and Young People
- Healthcare
- Workplace
- Coaching
- Higher and Further EducationEducationEducation in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
- SpiritualSpiritualitySpirituality can refer to an ultimate or an alleged immaterial reality; an inner path enabling a person to discover the essence of his/her being; or the “deepest values and meanings by which people live.” Spiritual practices, including meditation, prayer and contemplation, are intended to develop...
and PastoralPastoralThe adjective pastoral refers to the lifestyle of pastoralists, such as shepherds herding livestock around open areas of land according to seasons and the changing availability of water and pasturage. It also refers to a genre in literature, art or music that depicts such shepherd life in an... - Independent and Group Practice
- Equality and Diversity
- Voluntary Sector
BACP Goals
- BACP's vision is to lead the effort to make counselling and psychotherapy widely recognised as a profession.
- BACP's mission is to be the leading professional body for counselling and psychotherapy and an automatic reference point for anyone seeking information on counselling and psychotherapy in the United KingdomUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
- BACP's objectives are:
- to promote and provide education and training for counsellors and/or psychotherapists working in either professional or voluntary settings, whether full or part time with a view to raising the standards of counselling and/or psychotherapy for the benefit of the community and in particular for those who are the recipients of counselling and/or psychotherapy.
- to advance the education of the public in the part that counselling and/or psychotherapy can play generally and in particular to meet the needs of those members of society where development and participation in society is impaired by mental, physical or social handicap or disabilityDisabilityA disability may be physical, cognitive, mental, sensory, emotional, developmental or some combination of these.Many people would rather be referred to as a person with a disability instead of handicapped...
.
BACP Operations
- BACP seeks to advise and inform national and international policy and procedures concerned with counselling and psychotherapy, offering information and guidance to those involved in the process.
- BACP is consulted by government bodies, professional bodies, fundingFundingFunding is the act of providing resources, usually in form of money , or other values such as effort or time , for a project, a person, a business or any other private or public institutions...
organisations, teaching institutions and many others on important issues concerning counselling and psychotherapy. The Association is strongly committed to high practice standards and the protection of the public.
- The Association sets, promotes and maintains standards for the profession. The Ethical Framework for Good Practice in Counselling and Psychotherapy alongside the Professional Conduct Procedure ensures that members of BACP abide by an accepted code of conduct and accountability.
- The Association publishes a directory of members on their website, as well as a paper version, which allows those seeking counselling to find a counsellor in their area.
- The Association also accredits counsellors with the appropriate training and experience via a rigorous accreditation process, that requires continued education to maintain accreditation.
BACP and regulation of Counsellors and Psychotherapists
Currently the counselling and psychotherapy profession is not regulated under statutory instruments of law specific to the profession.Currently it is therefore possible to practice as a Counsellor and/or Psychotherapist in the UK without having to be accredited by or be a member of the BACP or similar body.
Notable members of the BACP
Derek DraperDerek Draper
Derek William Draper is a former lobbyist, former editor of the LabourList website, and psychotherapist. As a political advisor during the 1990s he became widely known for his role in two political scandals, "Lobbygate" and "Smeargate".-Biography:Draper was educated at Southlands High School in...
: Psychotherapist, former lobbyist and former editor of the LabourList website.
Alex Hooper-Hodson
Alex Hooper-Hodson
Alex Hooper-Hodson is a British journalist and relationship expert. He was the agony uncle of Sugar magazine for six years starting in September 2004 and ending in February 2010. Alex is also the regular weekly sex and relationships columnist for the Scottish newspaper The Daily Record...
John Rowan (psychologist)
John Rowan (psychologist)
John Rowan is an author, counselor, psychotherapist and clinical supervisor who practices Primal integration in England. He has worked with Ken Wilber in exploring Transpersonal psychology and has written several books on subpersonalities.-Career summary:...