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Setting Standards

The ACP is committed to ensuring patients receive the highest standard of care and are treated by appropriately trained and regulated practitioners.

The Association of Child Psychotherapists holds a register of Child and Adolescent Psychotherapists all of whom have met its standards for registration. This is a register which is accredited by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA) and the ACP is assessed each year by the PSA to ensure it is continuing to meet the standards for holding a register.  The Register of members is kept and can be consulted online by the public. To maintain registration all members must comply with the ACP’s rules and submit an annual fee 

Our members are trained to work with children and young people from birth to age twenty-five (up to 26th birthday) as well as parents, carers and other professionals. Standards for registration include training at an accredited training school, ongoing supervision, continuing professional development and a commitment to our ethical code. 

The ACP is responsible for regulating the training and practice of child and adolescent psychotherapy. It sets standards for training, and monitors the training of child and adolescent psychotherapists at the five recognized training schools. It also administers a stringent set of rules, code of professional conduct and ethics, and disciplinary procedures. Membership of the ACP requires adherence to our rules and standards.

You can find out more about how we set and maintain standards and consult official documents in the ACP Register and Standards section of this website. This includes:

  • Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics

  • Disciplinary Procedure 

  • Continuing Professional Development Guidelines

  • Quality Assurance Framework for the Training of CAPTs

  • Competence Framework for CAPTs at the point of qualification