Losing My BACP Senior Accreditation

Leave a Comment / counselling / By

When a Title Is Taken: Losing My BACP Senior Accreditation

Today I lose my Senior Accredited status with BACP. I have been a counsellor for 25 years. I have run my own practice for 25 years. Writing this feels strange.

I did not plan to share this. I worried people would argue about SCoPEd. But staying quiet feels wrong. I know other counsellors are going through this too. Many feel confused and disheartened. They are not sure what this means for them or for our profession.

What changed

BACP is changing its membership to fit the SCoPEd framework. The idea is to bring clarity. Here is what that means for me:

  • I was assessed as Senior Accredited in 2020.

  • Because I do not hold a counselling specific Level 7, I lose the title today and move to a lower level.

  • Counsellors with a counselling Level 7 can reapply now.

  • Counsellors like me must lose the title first, then wait for a new window to reapply.

I do have a Level 7 Masters. It is from my first career in humanitarian work. It does not count here. I will not take another degree to prove what I already do every day.

What senior accreditation meant to me

When I gained senior accreditation in 2020, I wrote about why it mattered to me. You can read that post here: https://inyourcommunity.org.uk/2020/06/04/bacp-senior-accreditation/

For me, senior accreditation meant:

  • Recognition. An independent body checked my hours, supervision, CPD, outcomes and ethics. It told the public I had met a clear standard.

  • Reflection. I had to show how I work, why I work that way, and how I keep people safe. It helped me look honestly at my practice.

  • Growth. It pushed me to keep learning and to set goals for my work. It kept me curious and accountable.

  • Service. It affirmed my years of supporting clients, mentoring newer counsellors and serving my local community.

  • Trust. Clients told me the title helped them feel safe choosing a counsellor.

Losing the title does not change how I work. It does change how seen I feel.

Why this feels wrong

This is not about status or ego. A title tells the public that a counsellor has met a clear standard. Taking it away sends a message that one type of qualification matters more than long experience, outcomes, CPD and strong supervision.

It also feels unfair. I proved I met the senior standard in 2020. I have kept that standard since then. What changed other than the rules on paper

There is also a two tier system. Seniors with a counselling Level 7 can reapply now. Seniors without it must lose status and wait. Most professional bodies keep existing members at their level during big changes. This time that has not happened. The group is small, so it would have been possible.

Members are speaking up

Many members have asked BACP to think again. A group has gathered stories and support here:
https://www.change.org/p/preserve-the-status-and-recognition-of-senior-accredited-ncps-and-bacp-members
As far as I can see there has been little engagement back from BACP.

According to Geraldine Dufour, only about 2.3 percent of BACP members hold senior accreditation. I was one of that 2.3 percent. Such a small number could have been kept as senior during the change.

There was a letter in Therapy Today earlier this year from a senior accredited member raising these concerns. As far as I know there has been no public reply from BACP.

A colleague Amanda Williamson, has also openly wrote about losing her senior title and how it feels. Her blog is clear and kind. You can find it here.

How the leadership response feels

I want to name how this feels. It feels like BACP are not listening to their members. The CEO said members could connect with him on LinkedIn. I reached out. He did not connect back.. Members have written to him. No response.  I accept leaders are busy. BACP not responding to any comments about the loss of senior accreditation feels that we are not heard and uncared for.

Why I am moving to NCPS

NCPS is allowing senior practitioners to move across now. We can apply at their October deadline. This tells me they value different routes to excellence. Practice, supervision and outcomes matter as well as academic study. So I am joining NCPS and applying for Senior Accreditation with them.

What this means for clients

  • Your therapy does not change. I work in the same way, with the same care, in person in Nether Edge and online.

  • I stay fully accountable. I keep up regular supervision and CPD at a senior level.

  • You can ask me anything. If you are unsure about any of this, we can talk it through.

For colleagues who are affected

  • Name what you feel. Anger, sadness or confusion are normal. It is not just a title. It is recognition.

  • Check your options. Look at each body and its timelines. Choose what fits your values and your clients.

  • Keep your evidence up to date. Logs, CPD notes and supervision records will help.

  • Stay connected. Peer support and supervision can help you process all this.

  • Keep shouting out about it.

A short open note to BACP

You assessed me as Senior in 2020. I am still practising at that level. Please offer a transition that respects what you already verified. Keeping experienced members at their level is fair, kind and in the public interest.

Today a title is taken. It does not take the heart of my work. I will keep showing up, listening and walking alongside people in hard times. If you are facing similar changes and want to compare notes, get in touch. We do not have to figure this out alone.

Leave a Reply