Criteria for Application for Approved Organisation Status for Organisations Which Provide a Specific Counselling Service to the Public and which Train and Supervise their own Counsellors in this Specific Area.

Under these criteria application for Approved Organisation Status is open to those organisations which provide a specific counselling service to the public and which train and supervise their own counsellors in this specific area.

A - At Application Stage

(To apply) The following is requested:

i. Aims & Objectives of Organisation, Philosophy of Organisation, Structure of Company and Board of Directors And/Or

ii. Copy of Memorandum and and Articles of Association of the Organisation.

iii. Detailed information on services provided by the Organisation eg. · to the public · training and ongoing professional development of counsellors any other (i.e. educational; government; media; research)

iv. A copy of your Code of Ethics and Practice

v. What professional affiliations do you have with any other organisations? Please state the nature of such affiliations.

vi. In accordance with the IACP Code of Ethics and Practice an applying organisation must have Public and Professional Liability Insurance; details of same to be submitted.

vii. Copy of Complaints Procedure

viii. Intake and Selection Criteria.. . Details of the intake criteria in use by the organisation for acceptance of those who may be trained as counsellors. a. Details of the selection process and how it is put into practice.

ix. Copy of the most recent Annual Report of the organisation.

B - Re Training

i. A minimum of 150 hours in counselling trainer contact is required before commencement of practice as a trainee counsellor. Trainee counsellors must be closely supervised when they start to practise (see Supervision below).

C - Monitoring of Trainee Counsellors and Trained Counsellors

i. The IACP requests that a minimum of 100 hours (client contact) per year is set.

ii. The IACP requires proof of ongoing formal professional development. A minimum of 8 hours per year of ongoing professional training/development related to counselling is required.

D - Supervision

i. The IACP requires evidence of sufficient and appropriate supervision. A more intense level of supervision is required for counsellors in training, who are seeing clients.

ii. The IACP requests details of how the organisation distinguishes between counsellors in training, recently qualified counsellors and experienced counsellors. The organisation is required to ensure that there will be experienced counsellors available at all times.

iii. The IACP recommends a minimum of 1 hour of supervision for every 4-6 hours of client work for counsellors in training and recently qualified counsellors, or every two weeks.

iv. The IACP requests that there be, at the least, monthly supervision for experienced counsellors, with evidence that supervision is directly proportional to the numbers of hours that counsellors work.

v. Supervisors should have a minimum of 5 years of counselling experience and training as supervisors.

E - The Complaints Procedure

It is essential that confidentiality is maintained for all concerned. The organisation Complaints Procedure should include the following:

i. A panel of Assessors or a Complaints Committee, naming those on the panel or on the committee, which has access to legal advice should this prove necessary.

ii. An extern who is a distinguished member of the counselling profession, who is neither an organisation member nor a relative of anyone concerned.

F - Staff Qualifications

i. Each organisation is responsible for setting its own standards for Executive Staff

ii. Training personnel should have either IACP Accreditation or, the equivalent standard of the requirements for IACP Accreditation.

iii. The IACP understands that there will be an appropriate proportion of experienced counsellors to recently qualified counsellors and counsellors in training at any one time. It is essential that the cohort of recently qualified counsellors and trainee counsellors at no time are left with sole responsibility for the service.

G - Monitoring of Approved Organisation Status

Due to the nature of change in organisations, the IACP would need to be kept informed of any changes in the structure of the organisation.

Organisations will be monitored:

at application stage.
by the submission of an Annual Report of the approved organisation;
by signing a subscription form on an annual basis, which will include an agreement to abide by the IACP Code of Ethics & Practice.

Should a reduction in standards in an organisation occur or, change happen outside the understood nature of the applicant organisation when first approved by the IACP without prior consultation with the IACP, the IACP without prejudice retains the right to withdraw Approved Organisation Status. In such circumstances, reference to IACP Approved Organisation Status must be removed from all stationery and other means of communication with the public or with sister organisations.

Fee:

ii. On successfully obtaining Approved Organisation Status payment of the application fee is required.

ii. The granting of Approved Organisation Status shall require payment of an annual subscription fee to the Irish Association for Counselling and Psycotherapy.

Disclaimer

The IACP disclaims any legal responsibility for an organisation or its practices even though it gains IACP Approved Organisation Status.

DOWNLOAD / PRINT THIS PAGE