ICP advocacy and lobbying
ICP has a long history of advocacy and lobbying government for the regulation of the independent profession of psychotherapy.
ICP lobbied hard to ensure that the profession of psychotherapy was recognised as a distinct profession from counselling and subsequently welcomed the decision of Minister Harris in 2005 to establish two distinct registers when establishing a register for psychotherapy and counselling.
ICP supports the proposal that psychotherapy be registered as a separate profession as soon as possible in order to provide protection for the public.
In that regard ICP has:
- Contributed to the Psychological Therapies Forum established by Government. Click here for 2008 report.
- Liaised with CORU for a number of years regarding the establishment of a statutory registration process for psychotherapists, including in representations and submissions made in 2023 and 2024 following their development of draft proposals in this area. (Click here for Submission)
- Set out minimum requirements for training for the profession. Read our Position Paper – January 2015 and our Submission Paper to the Department of Health on the proposed Statutory Regulation of Psychotherapy and Counselling under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005
- Lobbied Governments and the European Parliament to provide for an independent profession of psychotherapy through the European Association of Psychotherapy (EAP) www.europsyche.org
ICP will continue to liaise with CORU on behalf of its members to ensure that the Statutory Register for Psychotherapy adopts the highest possible standards for the profession.