BABCP Governance Review

BABCP (British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies) is a professional organisation registered with the Charities Commission for England and Wales, and a limited company. BABCP is the lead organisation in the UK and Ireland with the aim of furthering the theory and practice of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). CBT is not statutorily regulated in the UK but is being introduced in the Republic of Ireland. We are almost 50 years old and have more than 16,000 members across the UK and Ireland. We employ more than 30 staff members who support the Board and another 11 standing committees. There are around 60 standing committee member places, filled by approximately 40 members. Additional committee places were recently added to provide for public representation.

We are looking to consolidate our position as a professional organisation to further the profession of CBT. We are also experiencing strategic growth with an increasing membership volume including an increasing proportion of our own accredited members, associated increase in financial income, growing staff numbers and with growing corporate recognition. As we grow so does the expectation of increasing stakeholders. We are now in a position to review our governance arrangements to ensure the organisation remains effective in meeting its aims and objects, as further growth is anticipated.

Our governance model must be effective to help us ensure BABCP remains relevant into the future. It is anticipated there are improvements or changes required across several areas concerning our current governance arrangements. Areas that may benefit include committee effectiveness and efficiency of decision making, and the setting and supporting of policy. We currently operate with one type of Ordinary Membership excepting a small amount of Honorary Fellows. BABCP does not have dedicated staff roles supporting its governance arrangements at present.

The following information and links contain further information likely of interest -

1. General information about BABCP
2. BABCP Memorandum and Articles of Association
3. Our standing committees reporting to the Board. Each has its own terms of reference annually agreed by the Board. We are also in the process of setting up an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee.
4. BABCP Annual Reports
5. Our Board minutes 
6. BABCP has a growing policy schedule reflecting its responsibilities and expectations and where public facing policy can be found. Further draft policies to be added include a Safeguarding Policy. There is growing demand for additional policy in addition to the need to maintain this growing schedule.

We are supportive of change anticipated to achieve a progressive governance model reflecting best practice. A review of our governance arrangements is required with recommendations to help us adopt positive change whilst recognising the following -

• We value member involvement and engagement and wish to retain this within an effective future model where possible
• Our members join from all home nations and Ireland. Each country has an increasingly distinctive operating environment regarding mental healthcare. This could be better reflected in our governance model and decision-making process.
• We wish to ensure volunteer committee members and those representing the public are accountable whilst not creating barriers to their engagement.
• We recognise quicker high-quality decision-making, generally at committee level, would be beneficial. Issues that hinder this currently may include resource, structure, systems and increasing difficulty gaining committee member engagement.
• The Board recognise adopting the Good Governance Code framework is helpful in identifying compliance requirements as well as strengths and weaknesses in our governance arrangements.

We seek to develop a relationship with a provider with expertise in the membership and not-for-profit sector and the capability to help us adopt progressive change. However, consistent with our incorporation, it is important we can demonstrate we receive good value-for-money as well as a high-quality service. We are not pursuing a formal tender process but wish to receive a response from those willing to express an interest in helping us.

If you are interested, please provide the following information by email to our Chief Executive Officer Ross White at GovernanceReview@babcp.com. Inquiries can also be sent to this email address.

• how you would approach this project
• an outline of expected outcomes
• an order or estimate of costs that would fit your approach, and
• an expected project duration.
• It would be of great assistance if you can provide any testimonials or references from similar projects previously undertaken. It is likely we will wish to contact some of those organisations referenced.

The following is an indicative timetable, but may be subject to change –

• Deadline for submission of interest – 5 September 2022
• Consideration of expressions of interest and shortlisting - week beginning 12 September 2022
• Meeting shortlisted providers - from week beginning 19 September 2022