An equality, diversity and inclusion toolkit for counselling and psychotherapy training programmes is being created.

It aims to support institutions, training programmes and individual tutors to develop their skills and understanding when working with diversity and more inclusively.

The toolkit will initially focus on race, ethnicity and anti-oppressive practice, and there are plans to expand this to include other topics too.

The project’s being led by The Coalition for Diversity and Inclusion, of which we’re a member. It follows a consultation with trainers and training providers that was held in February.

The free resource is expected to launch in 2022.

Caroline Jesper, our Head of Professional Standards, said: “EDI should be embedded in all aspects of counselling and psychotherapy training.

“We hope the toolkit will be supportive and useful for training organisations, courses, tutors – and consequently have a positive impact for students and clients too.

“We’re excited to be working with all the organisations in the coalition to bring this important collaborative project to fruition.”

The Coalition for Diversity and Inclusion is a group of organisations who are working to improve diversity within the counselling, psychotherapy and psychological therapy professions.

It focuses on promoting inclusive and anti-oppressive professional training as part of a greater vision to address further barriers to inclusive practice, particularly in relation to supporting racially and ethnically minoritised communities.

The Coalition is chaired by Place2Be, and as well as BACP members include: Association of Christian Counsellors (ACC); Association of Child Psychotherapists (ACP); British Association of Art Therapists (BAAT); the Counselling and Psychotherapy Central Awarding Body (CPCAB); Muslim Counsellor and Psychotherapist Network (MCAPN); National Counselling Society (NCS); Psychotherapists and Counsellors for Social Responsibility (PCSR); and the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP).

Look out for more details about this project and others in the article Putting race on the training agenda in October’s edition of Therapy Today.