Introduction to the IACP Course Recognition Scheme

A. What Is Course Recognition?

(i) The Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy has considered it appropriate to develop criteria and to formulate guidelines for in-depth training courses, all or some of whose participants might reasonably expect on completion to function as practitioners in formal, or in some cases, informal settings.

B. What Is Required To Apply For IACP Course Recognition?

(i) In keeping with the rulings for individual Associate Members applying for accreditation any course applying for IACP Course Recognition is required to first join as an Associate Organisation Member. In this way, a membership link is established during the period of application for recognition.

(ii) Applications are welcome from courses of counsellor / psychotherapy training which are likely to be a minimum of two years duration full or part-time and which have already fully completed one cycle of the course and consist of not less than 450 hours of course content.

(iii) For a course to be successful in it's application for recognition, it must satisfy the criteria and adhere to the guidelines which are presented in some detail in the document entitled "Criteria and Guidelines for Courses Seeking Recognition” Published 2000 (available from the IACP office.

C. Application

(i) A course wishing to apply for Recognition should supply the following:

• Completed application form CR1 (available from IACP office)
• 3 copies each of explanatory and promotional material used, e.g. course leaflets, brochures etc.
• A submission Document in triplicate covering in detail how the course satisfies the criteria set out in PART ONE of the Criteria and Guidelines for Courses Seeking Recognition publication
• Appropriate fee - See CR1 for current fee
• Confirmation of organisational Membership of IACP

Although IACP will endeavour to seek further details, the responsibility for providing adequate written information and documentation rests solely with the course.

(ii) The information submitted will be considered by a panel of three persons nominated by the Course Recognition Committee. The panel will visit the course in operation for a period of not less that four hours, and shall discuss the course with students and staff. The purpose of the visits shall be to ensure that the course meets the minimum standards for entry to the scheme.

(iii) As soon as practicable after the visits, the panel will prepare a written report on their findings in respect of the course’s eligibility for entry. The report will be presented to the Course Recognition Committee.

D. Awarding Recognition

(i) The recommendations for recognition by the Course Recognition Committee are sent to the IACP Executive Committee for ratification. Following this ratification a notification letter, a certificate of recognition and a copy of the Course Recognition Committee report are sent to the course organisers.

(ii) Following ratification, the membership status for the course will change from Associate Organisation Member to IACP Recognised Course, for which an annual subscription is due.

(iii) Course Recognition by IACP is for a period of six years and is dependent on the annual membership subscription being paid on time. After five years the Recognised Course Member is required to make a formal application to renew their Course Recognition. Recognition of a course may be withdrawn by IACP at any time if standards are not maintained.

E. Non-Acceptance

(i) In the case of non-approval, at any point in the process, a report will be forwarded to the course organisers containing reasons why a course is not eligible for recognition.

This leaflet is intended as an introduction only to the IACP Course Recognition Scheme. The booklet "Criteria and Guidelines for Courses Seeking Recognition" is essential reading for any course wishing to apply for Course Recognition. It sets out in detail the criteria for eligibility to the scheme with an in-depth description of each heading.