The British Association for Counselling grew from the Standing Conference for the Advancement of Counselling, a grouping of organisations inaugurated in 1970 at the instigation of the National Council for Voluntary Organisations. Membership was extended to include individuals when in 1977, with the aid of a grant from the Home Office Voluntary Service Unit, the British Association for Counselling was founded.
Contents
- Change of name
- Goals
- Governance and structure
- Operations
- BACP and regulation of Counsellors and Psychotherapists
- Notable members of the BACP
- References
In 1978 the headquarters was moved from London to Rugby courtesy of the National Marriage Guidance Council which provided free accommodation to help the association establish itself. The Association is now located in Lutterworth.
Change of name
In September 2000, the Association recognised that it no longer represented just counselling, but also psychotherapy. It changed its name to the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).
BACP is now the largest and broadest body within the sector with over 41,000 members.
BACP participates in the development of counselling and psychotherapy at an international level.
Goals
BACP's vision is to lead the effort to make counselling and psychotherapy widely recognised as a profession.
BACP's mission is to be the leading professional body for counselling and psychotherapy and an automatic reference point for anyone seeking information on counselling and psychotherapy in the United Kingdom.
BACP's objectives are:
- to promote and provide education and training for counsellors and/or psychotherapists working in either professional or voluntary settings, whether full- or part-time, with a view to raising the standards of counselling and/or psychotherapy for the benefit of the community and in particular for those who are the recipients of counselling and/or psychotherapy.
- to advance the education of the public in the part that counselling and/or psychotherapy can play generally and in particular to meet the needs of those members of society where development and participation in society is impaired by mental, physical or social handicap or disability.
Governance and structure
BACP is a company limited by guarantee and a registered Charity. The governing instrument is the Memorandum and Articles of the Association. The Trustees, known collectively as the Board of Governors, govern the Association.
BACP operates specialist interest divisions and forums that focus on informing members and the public:
Operations
BACP and regulation of Counsellors and Psychotherapists
In February 2013 BACP's voluntary register was accredited by the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care. BACP's register is the first register of counselling and psychotherapy professionals to be accredited under the scheme set up by the Department of Health and administered by an independent body, accountable to Parliament.