Grades & Criteria

A unique and flexible approach to membership and accreditation

The National Counselling Society is a not for profit organisation whose primary purpose is the advancement of counselling and psychotherapy, and of course the support and encouragement of all our members.

We believe that membership of a professional association is essential as it gives confirmation of your professional standing to both your peers and clients - and gives you a voice in the future of our profession.

In recognition of the different ‘life stages' of a counsellor/psychotherapist we offer a number of levels of membership.

Please note: to join the Accredited Register distance learning and/or online only delivered courses are not accepted.

• Accredited Registrant (MNCPS Acc.)

  There are two routes to Accredited Registrant membership:
  

  (1) Training and Qualification

  Under this route Accredited Membership is awarded to a member who has successfully completed one of the following:

  • A National Counselling Society Accredited Course at a minimum of Ofqual RQF Level 4 or equivalent
  • A full qualification in counselling or psychotherapy practice at minimum of Ofqual RQF Level 4 or equivalent which complies with the Society's currently published Standards of Training (linked below).

  Standards of Training

  (2) Equivalent Register

  Under this route, Accredited Membership is awarded to a counsellor who holds an equivalent membership grade already attained via another Accredited Register.

  
  To apply for Accredited Registrant Membership click here

  Please note: Students who had to undertake training and/or placement hours purely online during the 2020/2021 academic year due to the Covid pandemic, can still apply for the Accredited Register as their applications will be assessed in line with accepted criteria during that time.

• Accredited Professional Registrant (PNCPS Acc.) This grade will not be taking new applications from the 30th of September 2023. New applications for this Registrant Grade will be accepted from January 2024.

  There are two routes to Accredited Professional Registrant status:
  

  (1) Post Qualification Experience

  Under this route, Accredited Professional Registrant status is awarded to a counsellor who :

  Gained Accredited Registrant status via either the Training/Qualification (minimum Ofqual Level 4 or equivalent) or Equivalent Register route, and therefore completed at least 100 hours of supervised practice in a placement.

  Has maintained Accredited Registrant status for at least 1 year in good standing.

  Has successfully qualified from a course or courses of counselling practitioner training which :

  • Included at least 450 tutor led contact hours accumulated as part of core counselling training*. (evidence will be required)

  (*Core counselling training must have clear progression from course to course, be tutor led [ie training delivered 'in the room' or synchronously online] and include some form of assessment)

  • Was carried out over at least two years (part-time) or one year (full-time)
    
  • Included a supervised placement as an integral part of the training
  • Covered theory, skills, professional, legal and ethical issues and personal development

  Has been in practice for 3 years from the date of the first supervised client session when applying.

  Has completed at least 450 hours of supervised practice, at least 150 of which must have been accrued post training.

  Has been supervised for at least 1.5 hours per month, and continues to have an ongoing contract for supervision in place for at least 1.5 hours per month (This can be a mix of one to one, group and peer supervision. Peer supervision alone is not acceptable towards supervision hours).

  Produces a satisfactory written statement of approximately 6000 words describing :

  • their knowledge and understanding of client work
  • their use of supervision, use of NCS Code of Ethics and their understanding of issues of difference and diversity
  • their ethical and self-awareness relevant to counselling practice
  • their use of continuing professional development

  and also including:

  a satisfactory report from a clinical supervisor

  a satisfactory reference from a suitable professional referee.

  evidence of appropriate insurance throughout practice.

  Guidelines for the Written Statement

  (2) Equivalent Register

  Under this route, Accredited Professional Registrant status is awarded to a counsellor who holds an equivalent membership grade as determined by the Society already attained via another Accredited Register.

  To apply for Accredited Professional Registrant Membership click here

• Accredited Professional Registrant (PNCPS Acc.) New Application Process from January 2024

  Our Accredited Professional Registrant grade (PNCPS Acc), which is aligned to the requirements of SCoPEd Column B, builds on the requirements for our Accredited Registrant grade (MNCPS Acc) which is aligned to SCoPEd Column A.

  Eligibility requirements

  Applicants must have:

  • Maintained registration as an Accredited Registrant (MNCPS Acc), or on another relevant PSA Accredited Register for Talking Therapy, for at least 1 year in good standing immediately preceding an application for this membership grade.
  • Experienced at least 450 tutor contact hours during training, of which a maximum of 30% may have been online synchronous, ‘live’ online teaching. (Courses that meet this criterion and included formative assessment/s may be combined to meet this requirement).
  • Been in practice for at least 3 years from the date of the first supervised client session when applying.
  • Completed at least 450 hours of supervised clinical practice, at least 150 of which must have been accrued after gaining the core qualification.
  • Been supervised for at least 1.5 hours per month and have an ongoing contract for supervision in place for at least 1.5 hours per month. (This can be a mix of one to one, group and peer supervision. Peer supervision alone is not acceptable towards supervision hours).

  Reflective Practice requirements

  Applicants need to provide satisfactory written materials as follows:

  Section 1. Account of practice ( 2,500 words +/-10% )

  A description of their current way of working with clients and how it has developed over time.

  This must include:

  • The theory or theories and approaches on which their client work is based, and how these are made use of
  • The kind of interventions and/or responses they use, and why
  • How reflective self-awareness contributes to their way of working
  • How issues of equality, diversity and inclusion influence their way of working
  • How their way of working is adapted to reflect:.

  a) the context(s) in which they work (e.g. private practice, employment, school, EAP)  
  

  b) the mode(s) of delivery they use (e.g. in-the -room, online, phone)

  c) different client groups worked with (e.g. individuals, couples, CYP, families, groups, clients based outside of the U.K.)

  d) different presenting issues and goals for therapy.

  Section 2. Case study demonstrating their practice with 1 or 2 clients (3,000 words +/-10% ).

  This must show the application of the way of working described in Section 1. It can describe work with a single client or with two clients. It must include the following elements:

  1. Examples of the types of interventions and/or responses to the client(s) employed including why they were chosen and how this affected the therapeutic relationship and process.
  2. Examples of issues of equality, diversity and inclusion relevant to work with the client(s) and how these were taken into account.
  3. How self-reflection and self-awareness were used and how this affected the therapeutic relationship and process.
  4. How an ethical consideration or issue was worked through using specific elements of the NCPS Code of Ethical Practice.
  5. How supervision was used for the benefit of this client work. This must include the issue(s):

  a) taken to supervision

  b) why they were chosen

  c) what was learned

  d) how this subsequently influenced the client work.

  Supervisor’s statement

  Applicants also need to supply a recent report from their clinical supervisor, in which the supervisor addresses the following questions based on Sections 1 and 2 of the supervisee’s application for the Accredited Professional Registrant grade.

  1. Is the applicant’s described way of working (Section 1) consistent with your experience of how they work? Yes/No – if No, or if you are in doubt, please give your reasons.
  2. If you have supervised the case material in the application (Section 2), do you agree that the applicant’s description is an accurate reflection of their work with this client/s? Yes/No – if No, or if you are in doubt, please give your reasons,
  3. Please comment on the applicant’s overall competence in relation to the column B competences in the SCoPEd framework. Please indicate any areas for future development in relation to the SCoPEd framework that have been agreed with the applicant.
  4. In your experience of the applicant, are they an experienced practitioner capable of a high standard of competent and ethically sound practice who is ready for Accredited Professional Registrant Column (B) status? Yes/No – if No, or if you are in doubt, please give your reasons.

  Are you a member of another talking therapy Accredited Register?

  Join via our equivalent route

• Senior Accredited Registrant (SNCPS Acc.) New Application Process opens January 2024

  Members holding the grade of Accredited Professional Registrant PNCPS (Acc.) (SCoPEd Column B) are able to apply for the new Senior accreditation grade (SCoPEd Column C)

  Existing Senior accredited members who are eligible will be able to apply for the new Senior accreditation (SCoPEd Column C)

  When the transition phase opens, Senior members will need to have a level 7 or equivalent counselling/psychotherapy qualification to apply for the updated Senior membership category. For those who do not have this level of qualification, we are currently working on mechanisms which will allow them to apply by evidencing other experience and skills alongside training. We will keep members updated as to when this route becomes available.

  Eligibility requirements

  Applicants must have:

  1. A Level 7 or equivalent counselling/psychotherapy training,
  2. 500 GLH hours of training in total
  3. An ongoing contract for supervision for at least 1.5 hours per month.
  4. Experience of 160 hours of personal therapy and/or personal development work relevant to practice.

  Applicants must provide a statement showing the approximate dates over which the personal therapy and/or personal development work took place, together with a description of how this contributed to their self-awareness (250 words +/- 10%) and how this was applied to their clinical work (250 words +/- 10%)

  Personal statement (3250 words +/- 10%)

  Applicants need to provide satisfactory written materials to evidence the following criteria:

  Section 1. Work-based experiences (500 words +/- 10%)

  A summary of work-based experience involving taking an active role in the applicant’s professional community.

  Relevant SCoPEd Column C Competence:

  1.13C Ability to take an active role within the professional community locally and nationally. Be able to communicate effectively with other professionals in sharing information, advice, instruction and professional opinion.

  Section 2 Psychopathology and risk (1000 words +/- 10%)

  A summary of experience in training, practice or CPD to evidence

  1. Competence in conceptualising and/or formulating ways of working with clients with chronic/enduring mental health conditions.
  2. Understanding of the language/discourses around diagnosis, psychopathology and mental disorders.
  3. The ability to make complex judgements about high-risk clients and take appropriate action when required.

  Relevant SCoPEd Column C Competences:

  2.1.C Ability to conceptualise and (or) formulate ways of working with clients or patients with chronic and enduring mental health conditions.

  2.5.C Ability to understand the language and discourses around diagnosis, psychopathology and mental disorders.

  2.8.C Ability to make complex judgments about ongoing work with high-risk clients or patients and take appropriate action as needed.

  Section 3 Discriminatory practices and management of therapeutic ruptures (1000 words +/- 10%)

  i. A statement showing understanding of the harm caused by discriminatory practices, and of how to address power differentials in therapeutic practice.
  

  ii. A brief case study showing competence in working with ruptures or difficulties within the therapeutic relationship using ‘unconscious’ or ‘out of awareness’ processes.
  

  Relevant SCoPEd Column C Competences:
  

  3.10.C Ability to communicate about the harm caused by discriminatory practices and aim to reduce insensitivity to power differentials within therapeutic service provision, training and supervisory contexts.

  3.21.C Ability to work therapeutically with ruptures or difficulties within the therapeutic relationship using awareness of and skills associated with ‘unconscious’ or ‘out of awareness’ processing.

  Section 4 Audit and evaluation (250 words +/- 10%)

  A brief statement demonstrating knowledge of, and ability to use audit and evaluation methodologies to contribute to improving the process and outcomes of therapy.

  Relevant SCoPEd Column C Competence:

  4.15.C Ability to utilise audit and evaluation methodologies to contribute to improving the process and outcomes of therapy.

  Section 5 Reflexivity and self-awareness (500 words +/- 10%)

  Case material showing capacity for reflexivity and self-awareness, including evidence of active use of the self when working at depth in the therapeutic relationship and process.

  Relevant SCoPEd Column C Competence:

  5.1.C Ability to evidence reflexivity, self-awareness and the active use of self to work at depth in the therapeutic relationship and throughout the therapeutic process.

  Supervisor’s statement

  Applicants also need to supply a recent report from their clinical supervisor, in which the supervisor addresses the following questions:
  

  1. Is the applicant’s personal statement consistent with your knowledge and understanding of their work experience and how they work with clients? Yes/No – if No, or you are in doubt, please give your reasons.
  2. If you have supervised the case material used to evidence sections 3 and 5, do you agree that the applicant’s description is an accurate reflection of their work with this client/s? Yes/No – if No, or you are in doubt, please give your reasons.
  3. Please read the applicant’s personal statement in full (criteria 1-5), then comment on their overall competence in relation to the Column C competences in the SCoPEd framework. Please make reference to any areas for future development in relation to the SCoPEd framework that have been agreed with the applicant.
  4. In your experience of the applicant, are they an ‘Independent, competent and ethical counsellor/psychotherapist who has demonstrably developed their knowledge, experience and ethical working since their initial accreditation’ who is, therefore, ready for Senior (Column C) accreditation? Yes/No - if No, or you are in doubt, please state your reasons.

  
  Are you a member of another talking therapy Accredited Register?

  Join via our equivalent route

• Member

  Non-Registrant membership is for those with an interest in Counselling and Psychotherapy who wish to be part of the NCS community. Non-Registrant Membership is only available for two years; it is expected that you work towards Registrant membership during this time.

  Non-Registrant members must adhere to the NCS Code of Ethics. They do not appear on the Accredited Register. They must not advertise, promote or mention their membership to clients, employers or agencies.

• Student Member

  A non-registrant member who is on a training course to become a counsellor. The criterion for student membership is to demonstrate enrolment on any counselling training course which is compatible with the Society’s Code of Ethics. This does not have to be a course recognised by the Society.
  

  Student Members cannot advertise their membership and insofar as they are seeing clients may only do so as part of their on-going studies under the supervisory arrangements specified by their trainer. They must agree to be bound by the Society’s Code of Ethics.

  To apply for Student membership click here

• Fellow (FNCPS)

  This Special Award may be given to individuals who have made a significant contribution to the Society or the profession of counselling. Fellows are not on the Society’s Accredited Register unless they also hold a Registrant grade of membership.
  

Not sure which grade to apply for? Click here to take our short quiz to help you decide.