Unlike regulated professions such as medicine and law, counselling and psychotherapy in the UK are not currently subject to statutory regulation. However, this does not mean the field is unregulated. Reputable voluntary registers, such as those maintained by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society (NCPS) and the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP), uphold high standards for training, ethics, and professionalism.
While registration with these organisations is not legally mandatory, it demonstrates a practitioner's commitment to maintaining these standards and is often sought by employers. Iron Mill courses are quality checked or accredited by BACP, NCPS or UKCP, ensuring students qualifications are recognised by the membership bodies.
You may have heard Scope of Practice and Education (SCoPEd) framework mentioned in relation to counselling and psychotherapy practice. SCopEd is a shared standards framework, developed by six Professional Standards Authority accredited bodies, including BACP, NCPS and UKCP which represent approximately 75,000 counsellors and psychotherapists. The framework sets out the core training, practice and competence requirements for counsellors and psychotherapists working with adults and will enable a credible, diverse and thriving counselling and psychotherapy profession.
The minimum training standards, knowledge and experience required by counsellors and psychotherapists have been mapped across five themes:
- professional framework
- assessment
- therapeutic relationship
- knowledge and skills
- self-awareness and reflection
SCopEd is now being implemented with a final date of 2028 for completion. You may find more information on the BACP website .
