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Terms and conditions

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Terms and conditions

The counsellor 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. Adhere to our ethical codes, by having knowledge and understanding of:
  3. Adhere to our practice standards which means:
      • undertake all counselling under a professional contract which also sets out your privacy policy in relation to record keeping and data protection/GDPR;
      • have in place an assessment process;
      • keep records of your counselling and where applicable your supervision practice;
      • be in regular supervision;
      • keep records of supervision of your counselling practice and where applicable records of the supervision of your supervision practice;
      • undertake and keep records of the required amount of Continuous Professional Development (CPD) activities;
      • be covered by professional indemnity insurance.
  4. Take due account of ACC’s general guidance notes and communications relating to counselling and/or supervision practice.
  5. Keep us informed by notifying us of:
      • practice breaks (guidelines available on ACC’s website);
      • any complaints and sanctions arising from a professional membership;
      • any civil or criminal proceedings relevant to your practice and/or that risk bringing the profession into disrepute.
  6. Ensure that you use the approved ACC logo and Professional Standards Authority (PSA) accredited register quality mark. Please note the PSA’s accredited register quality mark is not to be used if you are based overseas and working with overseas clients. For further guidance contact office@acc-uk.org.
  7. 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 CAP Code. In line with counselling ethics you should have distinct and sufficient training to work in specialist areas, such as with children and young people, couples and families etc. This also applies to any publicly advertised adjunct therapies1 to which your profession as a counsellor may be seen to add legitimacy (for example, coaching or spiritual direction). Also ensure that you maintain your professional integrity on any social media sites.2
  8. Where applicable:
    • register with the Information Commissioner’s Office for holding client information;
    • have in place arrangements for clients to be informed in case of sudden incapacity, illness or death (sometimes called a professional will);
    • ensure that premises you are responsible for comply with relevant health and safety legislation.
  9. Have good business and financial processes in relation to counselling and supervision practice and/or the delivery of counselling training that are appropriate and required for the organisational structure or individual practice, i.e. self-employed, professional partnership, limited company, charity, etc.
  11. Agree to be subject to ACC’s practice review (audit) when invited.
  12. Agree to be subject to ACC complaints process, which may involve ACC contacting your supervisor, manager and/or other appropriate people. ACC also reserve 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.
  13. 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.
  14. 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.

1An adjunct therapy is a defined practice undertaken by a member in addition to their counselling practice. Typically this will be a paid or voluntary contracted service by that individual offered to members of the public which is intended to have a therapeutic objective or outcome. For ACC counselling members, an adjunct therapy may be in coaching or spiritual direction. Involvement in general pastoral care and/or prayer ministry or retreat leading in churches or other places of worship does not equate to an adjunct therapy. 

2Please note that we are required by the Professional Standards Authority to check a proportion of our members’ directory entries, websites, and any social media presence to ensure that they are upholding counselling ethics and standards, and not bringing the profession into disrepute. We would advise that all members keep the settings on their personal social media accounts set to private.