Are you a member yet? Membership is open to all and is the first step towards accreditation.
The British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies is the lead organisation for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) in the UK and Ireland. It is a professional organisation with a voluntary register (accredited by the Professional Standards Authority) for accredited Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapists, Wellbeing Practitioners, and Evidence-Based Parenting practitioners. BABCP Accreditation or Registration is now a condition of employment for psychological therapists delivering Cognitive Behavioural Therapy at both high and low intensity level in NHS Talking Therapies and many other organisations in the UK and Ireland. Organisations should therefore be aware of the CPD needs of their staff and support them in maintaining the skills that are a mandatory requirement of being employed as a CBT therapist. This brief guidance is a resource for leaders on how BABCP members providing CBT can best be supported in this.
Continued Accreditation and Registration depends on therapists engaging with a number of CPD activities per year (currently five, of which four must be CBT specific, including clinical skills-based activities). A range of activities can count towards this but at least six hours should be directly CBT skills based. Organisations may provide this by buying in or arranging in-house CBT skills training but must ensure the trainer is a sufficiently skilled and experienced CBT therapist or wellbeing therapist. The BABCP offers a range of CPD events throughout the year and in its Spring and Annual Conferences both as face to face and online events which meet the CPD requirements for continued accreditation or registration. Release for contribution to these groups is the equivalent of release for professional groups which are specific to a discipline, such as psychiatrists, psychologists or nurses who are expected to attend meetings relevant to their professions. Therapists are responsible for ensuring that CPD activities are appropriate for their needs, which can involve attending events outside services within which they work. This will be agreed as part of job planning, ongoing supervision and line management. Protected time to meet CPD requirements is needed for members to undertake activities required to maintain their registration and accreditation.
Participation and involvement in BABCP committees, local branches and Special Interest Groups also creates opportunities to enhance knowledge and skills in specific areas, and contributes significantly to sharing of best practice, collaboration, networking and support. This work can help members with meeting their CPD requirements, as well as developing leadership skills. BABCP members who have a primary training in a mental health profession such as psychiatry, psychology or nursing have an obligation to meet the standards of their registering body as well as maintaining their BABCP accreditation and registration, and there are often structures in place to support their professional development. Therapists who are employed as Wellbeing Practitioners or high intensity therapists are registered with the PSA through the BABCP. Release for contribution to these groups is therefore the equivalent of release for psychiatrists, psychologists or nurses to attend meetings relevant to their professions.
Regular supervision is essential for the maintenance and development of safe and effective therapist practice. It is important that organisations are clear about the level of supervision needed to support this and follow guidance for PSA accreditation or registration.
For more information about the standards Registered and Accredited members must meet, please see:
For Wellbeing Practitioners
For Accredited members (this is currently under review)
See our Supervision Guidance for Accredited members
For more information about CPD through BABCP opportunities please see our events and conferences
Find out more about the BABCP network of Branches and Special Interest Groups
To give feedback and to share ideas, please contact us at babcp@babcp.com