The BACP Accreditation Scheme is changing (again!)…
IF YOU ARE ELIGIBLE, WE HIGHLY ADVISE YOU TO APPLY FOR ACCREDITATION BEFORE FEBRUARY 2026.
We have been in the transition phase of the BACP accreditation scheme up until now but the permanent scheme changes have been announced… and they are not good news.
The changes to both the accreditation and senior accreditation schemes are significant. There will now be four different routes to apply depending on your training and experience. The overall word count for the accreditation is jumping from 5,500 up to 9,000 if you did not complete a BACP accredited course and this will include two academic essays (with referencing). This is similar in the senior accreditation where the ‘recognition of prior learning’ route will require a 8,750 word statement. The reflective questions are designed to draw out information which directly maps on to the SCoPEd competences and, where before there were five questions, there are now eight and nine.
These new accreditation schemes have never been assessed, no one has gone through them before and what will be needed to pass is uncertain. BACP guidance has historically not been clear or comprehensive. At My Private Practice we will work hard to adapt our mentoring service to provide support on the new schemes in time, but we are advising everyone we can:
You have until February 2026 to get your application in. Don’t delay. If you can, start now!
What are the changes going to be?
You can find full details about the new accreditation schemes on the BACP Accreditation Page and this information comes directly from that page:
For the individual accreditation there will be four routes available for registered members to apply to become an accredited member (aligned to column B of the SCoPEd framework). The route that's right for you will depend on your training and experience. The biggest change is that, if you did not complete a BACP accredited (or approved Column B progression training course) you will be asked to complete three reflective criteria questions (9,000 words in total) and two of those require academic style answers. The route options are:
I've completed a BACP accredited core training course
I've completed a BACP accredited or approved column B progression training course
I've completed a BACP approved practitioner course
I've completed a core training course (not BACP accredited)
I hold dual membership with another SCoPEd partner aligned to column B
I've completed the NHS Psychotherapeutic Counselling core training pathway
For the senior accreditation scheme there are also four routes:
I've completed a BACP accredited core training course aligned to column C
I've completed a BACP accredited or approved B and C progression training course
I've completed a BACP accredited core training course aligned to column B
I hold dual membership with another SCoPEd partner aligned to column C
There are specific eligibility criteria for each category including training, number of practice hours and levels of knowledge and competence. Depending on your route you may find that the application requires academic pieces including referencing. You can download the eligibility criteria, guides and questions from the BACP site.
Our current range of BACP Accreditation e-books can support you to get started right now!
What should I do?
If you are going to be eligible to apply before Feb 2026 we highly recommend you try to do so. The changes coming in February may significantly affect your route for accreditation.
Become informed about the process: take a look at the current (transition) scheme application form and then compare it to the one being introduced in February. Make sure you read the eligibility criteria, the information you need to submit in the admin form, the reflective criteria questions and any guidance you can find. Have a clear idea of the structure of the application and what will be required to tackle it so you can make an informed choice.
Keep records and gather information: whichever accreditation you are going for, you will need to start keeping records and gathering evidence to ensure you meet the eligibility criteria and will have evidence for your criteria answers.
Talk to your supervisor: you will need good support if you want to go for accreditation and your supervisor will have to answer some questions about you and your practice. Check that they are happy to support you and work on the process together. If not, you may want to think about finding an alternative supervisor before you start.
Brush up on your references: you will need to be familiar with best practice guidelines for your area of work. These include the new SCoPEd competences, the BACP Ethical Framework and also any other specific competencies which apply to you like working with CYP or online and telephone working.
Evaluate: these are very changing times in our profession and the impact of the SCoPEd changes will most likely take years to be properly evaluated. It is worth considering what will best serve your career including personal and professional goals at this point. It may be that you are happy to stay in your designated column or that you feel you need to move columns to improve your chance of paid referral work or employment. Think carefully about your motivation and consider what support you will need with any decision to make.
Get support! We’ve been working with the BACP accreditation process for 5 years now here at My Private Practice and we would like to help as many people as we can to apply for accreditation before February 2026 . Our popular e-book guides which are available on our website can get you up and working on the current application right now. We also offer mentoring support packages if you’d like more personal encouragement and help. These will be in high demand so book a 15-minute consultation as soon as you are ready to discuss how we can support you.
