This policy is developed to help BABCP staff, members and stakeholders to understand when and why we issue proactive communications and when and why we respond to new stories, consultation responses and other public announcements.
BABCP is a registered charity registered with the charity commission with the object of advancing the theory and practice of cognitive and behavioral psychotherapies (CBT) by the promotion of scientific research and the application of evidence-based practice. BABCP is also a membership organisation and it maintains the CBT Register UK and Ireland alongside the Association for Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (AREBT), a Professional Standards Authority (PSA) Accredited register. As a result, these different functions will have an impact on what we may comment on publicly.
This policy is applicable not only to BABCP external communications but also to its members, Special Interest Groups (SIGs) and Committees when using BABCP channels or referencing BABCP.
When do we comment?
External communications and public affairs work is key in ensuring we achieve our organisational objectives, but this has to be balanced against our charitable objective – to advance CBT by the promotion of research and application of evidence-based practice-, and our aims: to protect the public, to support our members, to promote CBT and to uphold the integrity of CBT.
We should proactive and reactively comment publicly on issues that are relevant to:
a. Cognitive behavioural therapy – in areas such as research, practice, application or assessment.
b. Issues impacting CBT therapists or Wellbeing practitioners directly, prioritising the UK and Ireland– these may include cuts to services, funding of NHS Talking Therapies, training and accreditation of therapists etc.
c. Mental health of people in the UK and Ireland when explicitly referred to and where there is good evidence that CBT is effective – we recognise that almost any aspect of life can have an impact on people’s mental health , however, for us to be able to respond or comment, there has to be an explicit link in the consultation, media article or public announcement to mental health.
On any issues related to CBT beyond UK and Ireland, we will strive to work in collaboration with other international organisations such as EABCT and WCCBT.
There may be issues where we will not comment publicly but we may give guidance to BABCP members.
