Standard route (SCoPEd column B) accreditation
Elevating your professional standing through accreditation
Welcome to the ACC’s standard accreditation route for SCoPEd column B accreditation. This pathway is designed specifically for ACC registered counsellor members who have built their advanced clinical experience through a traditional, experience-led practice route rather than a formal ACC SCoPEd column B top-up training or an equivalent SCoPEd column B progression training since initial qualification.
Eligibility criteria overview
To apply you’ll need to have:
- Active membership. You must hold active, registered counsellor membership with ACC and be fully compliant with our ethics and practice standards.
- Recognised level 4 diploma or higher in counselling
- Evidence of 450 Guided Learning Hours (GLH)
- a minimum of 70% of these must be face to face
- any online learning must be synchronous (i.e., in real time with a tutor leading the training as a live, taught session)
- Shortfalls of up to 30 hours can be bridged using prior certificate levels, post-qualifying modules, or a maximum of 30 hours of structured CPD. Plus an additional post qualification certificate or diploma in a specialist area of clinical practice (note that training in supervision practice is excluded)
- Evidence of 450 supervised practice hours
- over at least three years from the date of first supervised practice session
- include practice hours post-qualification
- Grandparented ACC members. ACC members who were grandparented onto the register in 2017-2018 are deemed to have 420 GLH of core training at level 4 (unless they can evidence higher level training and/or sufficient GLH). This is because 420 hours of qualifying training was previously the standard for joining ACC’s register. To meet any shortfall to the 450 GLH requirement, the same bridging requirements apply as detailed above.
Please contact us at registrar@acc-uk.org if you are unsure if your training meets these criteria.
How to apply
To apply for accreditation, you need to submit a completed online accreditation application form, which is in several parts. Detailed guidance of each of these parts is available here.
- Part 1: Personal and professional details
- Part 2: Counselling training – You will be prompted to upload copies of your core Level 4+ certificates.
- Part 3: Counselling experience – List your counselling practice hours, and supervised counselling practice hours as well as details of your practice setting.
- Part 4: Supervision – You will be asked to share the link to an online reference form with your supervisor. This is a compulsory part of your application, so please ensure your supervisor completes it promptly.
- Part 5: SCoPEd column B competence mapping – You will be asked to download Table 1 in the application process, demonstrate SCoPEd column B competences in your written work and upload the completed document.
- Part 6: Written assignments – You will be prompted to upload your written assignments.
- Part 7: Supplementary information – There will be an opportunity to upload additional documents.
Viva
Our auditing panel evaluates your work and if your application needs more clarity we will invite you to a 60/90-minute Viva over video. This is an evaluative discussion where assessors review your case material with you to determine whether the SCoPEd column B markers have been fully met.
Application form
ACCREDITATION APPLICATION – Standard Route (SCoPEd B)
Guidance notes
More details about the eligibility requirements and guidance are available here.
Fees
Fees for accreditation assessments are set annually. There is a variable charge for re-submission based on the extent of re-work required. Details about fees can be found on ACC’s website here.
If you have any questions, contact registrar@acc-uk.org.