IACP Accreditation Information for PCI College Graduates

The following provides some clarification in relation to the process of working towards accreditation with IACP for graduates of the PCI College Diploma in Counselling & Psychotherapy.

At present, there are still two possible routes to accreditation for PCI College graduates, depending on the location and timetable of their programme:

• Under the category “Have you completed an IACP accredited course?” (Currently applicable to Dublin West Weekend course and Kilkenny course)
• Under the category “Does your course meet IACP requirements?” (Currently applicable to all other PCI College venues and timetables)

Click here for the IACP diagram outlining these options.

Confusion sometimes arises due to the fact that the IACP Course Accreditation process treats each day or venue on which we offer our Diploma programme as a separate course (even though the content and delivery is the same).  Each is therefore in need of individual recognition (until recently, application could only begin after the course had run for the full three years).  We are currently in the process of submitting for recognition all of our courses which have not yet been through the Course Accreditation process.

In the meantime, those graduates who are applying under the second category above simply need to complete an extra section on the IACP Accreditation application form, where they outline the areas in which the course they completed meets IACP Core Course criteria (see below extracts for details). Our courses are designed specifically to meet these criteria, and we at all times keep up to date with any developments in this area, through regular links with IACP. Our aim is to complete the process of taking all our remaining courses through the IACP recognition process over the coming year. This will slightly speed up the completion of the application form for those graduates seeking IACP accreditation.

The only other difference is that graduates applying under the first category can call themselves “Pre-Accredited” members between graduation and accreditation.  Those applying under the second category are “Affiliate” members until they get accredited. Not having Pre-Accredited membership is therefore not a barrier to gaining accreditation, but in any case it will be available to all PCI College Diploma graduates once all venues are accredited.

The main thing that you need to know in this regard is that, once you have successfully completed the PCI College Diploma in Counselling & Psychotherapy (awarded in Year 3 of the BSc degree), you will have all the necessary training requirements completed, according to IACP guidelines, in order to work towards accreditation with IACP. All PCI College Diploma graduates who have applied for accreditation, having completed their 450 post-Diploma client hours, have become accredited. To date, this numbers over 250 people.

Eoin Stephens
College President


Extract from the IACP website http://www.irish-counselling.ie/accreditation-faq:

"My course is not listed as an IACP Accredited course. Can I still apply for accreditation?

Yes. You will be required to provide additional documentation from your course to prove that the course you completed meets IACP Core Course criteria. For a detailed list of core course criteria see the First Time Accreditation page."

 
Extract from the IACP website http://www.irish-counselling.ie/first-time-accreditation:

"Core Course Criteria are as follows:

A) Minimum of at least two years full or part time duration

B) Minimum of 100 hours of supervised individual client work

C) Minimum ratio of 1-8 supervision hours to client hours

D) Minimum of 450 course hours of class contact, including skills, theory and self-development

E) A detailed study of one core theoretical model of Counselling/Psychotherapy with an introduction to other theoretical models of Counselling/Psychotherapy for comparison and contrast

F) Minimum of 50 hours of personal therapy during training

G) Assessment of applicants for suitability before being selected onto the course

H) Certification of having satisfactorily completed the course