BACP accreditation is a nationally recognised professional quality mark that assures clients, employers, practitioners, services and training providers of high standards of ethical, competent and reflective practice. Accreditation supports public protection and professional accountability across counselling and psychotherapy.

BACP accreditation schemes are now aligned to the  SCoPEd framework, which sets out clearly defined scopes of practice and professional capability across the counselling and psychotherapy professions. From February 2026, BACP has launched new routes to Individual and Senior Accreditation, alongside revised criteria for accredited courses and services.

Contract Accreditation Assessors play a critical role in ensuring that accreditation decisions are fair, consistent, transparent and defensible, and that they reflect current professional standards, equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) principles, and evolving modes of practice (including online and digital delivery).

Assessors are expected to keep their knowledge up to date in relation to BACP’s accreditation schemes, professional standards, Ethical Framework and developments within the counselling and psychotherapy profession.

Purpose of role

  • to assess applications for BACP accreditation from individual members, courses and services against published criteria, applying professional judgement to reach well‑reasoned, proportionate and evidence‑based outcomes
  • assessors contribute to the integrity, consistency and ongoing development of BACP accreditation schemes by working collaboratively with the Accreditation Team and participating in standardisation and training activity

Key responsibilities

Contract Accreditation Assessors will:

  • assess accreditation applications in line with current BACP criteria and guidance, including new Individual and Senior Accreditation routes aligned to the SCoPEd framework
  • evaluate written material and supporting evidence, applying criteria consistently and objectively
  • produce clear, structured and accessible written assessment outcomes that:
    - explain decisions
    - reference relevant criteria
    - identify strengths, gaps and required actions where applicable
  • reach fair decisions, including recommending:
    - accreditation
    - deferral with requirements
    - non‑acceptance where criteria are not met
  • manage assessment workloads within agreed timescales, recognising fluctuations in application volumes
  • maintain professional competence as an assessor through mandatory induction, refresher training and ongoing standardisation activity
  • attend and actively participate in online standardisation meetings (normally every other month, Tuesday 2pm to 3.30pm)
  • engage constructively with quality assurance, peer review and moderation processes

Values and professional standards

Assessors are expected to:

  • work in accordance with the BACP Ethical Framework and relevant professional standards
  • demonstrate a strong commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, recognising the impact of systemic inequality, culture, power and context in assessment
  • apply an anti‑discriminatory and trauma‑informed approach when reviewing applications
  • exercise professional curiosity, reflective judgement and transparency in decision‑making

Person specification

Applicants must be able to demonstrate:

Essential

  • current Accredited or Senior Accredited membership of BACP
  • substantial post‑qualification experience as a counsellor or psychotherapist
  • experience of assessment, evaluation, moderation or standardisation (within professional, academic or organisational contexts)
  • familiarity with a range of theoretical approaches and modalities, including awareness of different scopes of practice
  • strong analytical skills, with the ability to synthesise complex information into clear, concise written outcomes
  • ability to explain, evidence and justify professional decisions
  • excellent organisational and time‑management skills, including meeting deadlines in a remote working environment
  • commitment to maintaining and developing professional standards within the counselling and psychotherapy profession

Desirable

  • experience of working with accreditation, quality assurance or professional regulation.
  • knowledge of the SCoPEd framework and contemporary developments in counselling and psychotherapy practice
  • experience of online, digital or blended therapeutic practice

Time commitment

  • Contract Assessors may be offered up to approximately 50 assessments per calendar month, subject to application volumes
  • on a usual basis, Contract Assessors are expected to have capacity to complete a minimum of twelve assessments per calendar month. This expectation does not apply during periods of annual leave or other agreed absence
  • there is no guarantee of minimum or maximum work, and workload may vary throughout the year

Training

  • successful applicants must complete a mandatory induction programme before undertaking assessment work
  • ongoing refresher training and standardisation events are required to ensure consistency and alignment with updated criteria and guidance
  • training includes preparation for assessing applications under new accreditation schemes launched from February 2026

Fee and expenses

Contract Assessors are paid per assessment or activity, in line with BACP’s published Contract Assessor Fee Policy.

Fees vary according to the type of work undertaken and the assessor’s level of experience and may include:

  • individual accreditation assessments (paid per assessment or on a pro‑rata hourly basis, depending on route)
  • resubmission assessments (paid at a pro‑rata hourly rate)
  • course and service accreditation work (paid at a pro‑rata hourly rate)
  • co‑assessment activity (paid at a pro‑rata hourly rate)
  • standardisation meetings (paid per meeting)
  • training and other agreed meetings (paid at a pro‑rata hourly rate)

Applicable fee ranges currently fall between £42.50 to £60.00 per individual assessment and £28.33 to £40.00 per hour or activity, depending on the work undertaken and experience level.

Reasonable, pre‑approved expenses will be reimbursed in line with BACP’s business expenses policy.