January 2026: OC, Reference No 00100489
January 2026: Orchard Counselling, Reference No 00100489
Outcome Details
Consensual Disposal
Reasons
1. Orchard Counselling, a former BACP organisational member whose membership expired 10 September Year 1, agrees to the following outcome of the investigation into a complaint of a failure to meet Professional Standards under reference PCP[…].
Background
2. At the relevant time the former Member was a member of the Association and was providing a placement to the Complainant to enable him to complete 51 hours of in-person client work, 36 of which had been completed when the then Member relocated […].
The Association is concerned that the then Member failed to follow its own processes as set out in its Service Handbook […].
Admissions
3. The former Member makes the following admission which BACP accepts:
Allegation
1.1 The Member failed to follow its own procedures as set out in its Service Handbook […].
Mitigation
4. The former Member accepts that, in breach of its service Handbook, it failed to:
(a) offer the Complainant a […] meeting, and
(b) declined the Complainant’s request for a Panel Meeting.
The former Member apologises to the Complainant for these procedural failings.
Conclusion
5. The issues identified and admitted by the former Member amount to breach of the professional standards reasonably expected of the then Member having regard to the Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions 2018 in particular paragraph 57 which states:
57: Practitioners will treat colleagues fairly and foster their capability and equality of opportunity.
6. One of the aims of the Professional Conduct Procedure is to protect members of the public. The IAC in considering the appropriate outcome, including any sanction, for the admitted breach in this case have taken into account the interests of public protection and determined that it is reasonable and proportionate to conclude it on the terms set out below.
7. […]
8. As the former Member is fully cooperating with the Association to resolve this complaint […] the Association considering this sanction to be appropriate in the circumstances:
By 28 January Year 2 to provide to BACP a letter of apology to the Complainant focusing on the specific Allegations and addressing what went wrong in this case.
9. The former Member agrees that this Agreement will be published by the Association in line with the Publication Policy and that it will be disclosed to the Complainant.
10. The former Member agrees that it will not act in any way inconsistent with this Agreement such as, for example, by denying the admissions in paragraph 3 above.
11. If the former Member acts in a way which is inconsistent with this Agreement the matter will be referred to a sanction panel for consideration. Such a decision would be published.
(Where ellipses [ . . . ] are displayed, they indicate an omission of text)