We’re pleased to announce the end of the Scope of Practice and Education (SCoPEd) transition period and the opening of our new accreditation routes.

This means our membership categories and those of the Partnership of Counselling and Psychotherapy Bodies (PCPB) partners are now fully aligned to the columns of the SCoPEd framework.

For BACP our:

  • registered membership category is aligned to column A
  • accredited membership category is aligned to column B
  • senior accredited membership is aligned to column C

Whatever your membership category, you’ll still be able to:

  • provide the services you currently do
  • practise competences in other SCoPEd columns providing you have the right skills, knowledge, training and experience to do so

We’re working closely with our accredited courses and approved qualifications to integrate any changes into their training and qualifications by early 2028.

New accreditation routes

Our new accreditation routes recognise the wide variety of training pathways by which our members enter the profession and then continue to develop post-qualification. Ensuring accessibility and widening opportunities sit at the core of these routes, which are designed to enable more members to demonstrate their SCoPEd competence and continue their career progression.

We have 13 new accreditation routes available. Eight routes enable eligible registered members to apply for individual accreditation or senior accreditation. Four routes enable accredited members to apply for senior accreditation and a temporary route for previous senior accredited members to align with our revised senior accredited membership category. The route that’s right for you will depend on your training and experience.

You can find out more about our new accreditation routes and the eligibility requirements on our accreditation webpages.

BACP CEO Dr Phil James, said: "The implementation of the SCoPEd framework and the opening of the new accreditation routes is an exciting time for BACP and the profession. It enables us to promote the skills and abilities of our members in a way that hasn’t been done before and the range of new accreditation routes will increase accessibility into accreditation and senior accreditation, enhancing career progression opportunities".

BACP Accreditation Lead, Sarah Watson, said: "I’ve been a member for over 20 years, and this feels like a truly transformative moment for our profession. With 13 new routes to accreditation, members now have the flexibility to choose the path that’s right for them, at a time that suits them. These routes recognise the hard work that goes into training, CPD and client work, and represent the biggest change we’ve seen in accreditation for many years. The accreditation team is delighted to see this project come to life and we wish every member the very best of luck and success with their applications".

The SCoPEd framework

The SCoPEd framework plays a key role in unifying standards within the counselling and psychotherapy profession, offering greater clarity on the skills, knowledge, training and experience of our members and of our partner organisations.

It differentiates highly trained and qualified therapists who are aligned to the SCoPEd framework from those who complete training that does not meet the minimum standards identified in the framework.

Ultimately, it helps counselling and psychotherapy to be better understood, valued and trusted by clients, employers, commissioners and the public.

For more information visit our SCoPEd webpages and our SCoPEd FAQ page.

Next steps

The PCPB partners are continuing to collaborate beyond SCoPEd, and recently launched the Commission for the Future of Counselling and Psychotherapy in October 2025. The Commission is examining the current and future landscape of the professions and the key issues affecting the sector, professionals, services and clients.  

The findings and recommendations will support and shape the direction of future collaborative work between the PCPB and engagement with policymakers and commissioners of services on behalf of the profession and for the benefit of clients.