Terms and conditions
Terms and conditions
The verified or accredited member will
1. Self-identify as a Christian and maintain commitment to a Christian way of life/way of being and accept ACC’s Statement of Faith.
2. Be at least 18 years of age at the time of application. We reserve the right to reject or terminate any membership if this requirement is not met.
3. Adhere to our ethical codes, by having knowledge and understanding of:
- ACC’s Code of Ethics for Coaching and Mentoring.
- The Churchill Framework for Coaching and Mentoring as a guide to integrating the religious faith and spirituality in coaching/mentoring practice.
- The Memorandum of Understanding on Conversion Therapy as an instrument to prevent conversion therapy in professional practice.
- As appropriate to your safeguarding responsibility for clients, follow NHS England’s Staying safe from suicide: Best practice guidance for safety assessment, formulation and management (published in April 2025).
4. Commit to participating in ACC’s Integration of Christian Faith with Coaching/Mentoring short course (six hours), within two years of joining ACC, unless you can evidence doing a similar/equivalent course.
5. Adhere to our practice standards which means:
- undertake all coaching/mentoring under a professional contract which also sets out your privacy policy in relation to record keeping and data protection/GDPR.
- register with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO.) as a Data Controller if in private practice and keep any client details (phone numbers, texts, emails, notes) in an electronic format.
- keep at least a simple log of coaching/mentoring sessions with clients and where applicable your coaching/mentoring supervision sessions with supervisees, and coaching/mentoring notes in sufficient details as is appropriate for your training/approach, setting and contract, and in service of your clients.
- have sufficient supervision to support your practice, at a minimum of four sessions per annum, or for accredited members as specified by your accrediting body.
- undertake and keep records of the required amount of Continuous Professional Development (CPD) activities (a minimum of 25 hours), or for accredited members as specified by your accrediting body.
- maintain professional indemnity and where relevant public liability insurance.
- take due account of ACC’s general guidance notes and communications relating to coaching/mentoring and supervision practice.
6. Ensure that premises you are responsible for comply with relevant health and safety legislation.
7. Have good business and financial processes in relation to your coaching/mentoring practice, i.e. self-employed, in a professional partnership, limited company, charity, etc.
8. Ensure that when using your membership badge, you upload it on any website or promotional materials as it is, so that it incorporates the approved ACC logo.
9. Ensure that directory entries and other public content describing your practice do not mislead the public about your professional membership(s), training, skills and competence, nor make unproven claims about the services you offer; ensure that they adhere to the Advertising Standards Authority’s CAP Code. In line with coaching/mentoring ethics you should have distinct and sufficient training to work in specialist areas.
10. In your dealings online, be sensitive and respectful, and act with integrity, avoiding any activity that brings ACC and/or coaching/mentoring into disrepute. Avoid any discriminatory or offensive content.
11. Keep us informed by notifying us of:
- any complaints or sanctions arising from a professional membership or employment.
- any civil or criminal proceedings relevant to your practice and/or that risk bringing ACC or the profession into disrepute.
- any event such as a significant health diagnosis that might affect your fitness to practice.
12. For accredited members, maintain accreditation or if/when this lapses, apply to transfer to verified membership.
13. Agree to be subject to ACC’s practice review (member audit) when invited.
14. Agree to be subject to ACC complaints process, which may involve ACC contacting your supervisor. ACC also reserves the right to contact members to raise matters of concern that have been notified to us and that we consider present a medium or high risk to members of the public, even in the event that no formal complaint is submitted.
15. Be responsible for keeping your membership record accurate, recording changes in contact details, supervision and insurance, and for processing your annual renewal in good time to ensure that your practice is covered.
16. Keep abreast of changes in practice standards and organisational policy by reading ACC emails and accord journal. Please note this means that you must stay subscribed to Mailchimp.
Please note that we check a proportion of our members’ directory entries, websites, and any social media presence to ensure that members are acting within the scope of their training and are not making false/exaggerated claims. We reserve the right to remove from membership anyone who acts in a way to bring the profession and/or ACC into disrepute. For example, posting offensive, discriminatory or harassing content including ‘hate speech’. We would advise that all members keep the settings on their personal social media accounts set to private.
Last updated: November 2025