Membership Committee

UKCP Membership Committee

UKCP's Members are its Member Organisations. The Membership Committee is responsible for the regulatory provisions for Member Organisations and Organisations Applying for Membership. The Committee has representatives from each of the Modality Sections of UKCP, and scope for participation by representatives of UKCP's Institutional and Special Members. Its authority is derived from the UKCP Constitution, under the Membership Bye-Laws, through the Governing Board (Please see UKCP Membership Bye-Laws Sections 4, 5 and 6)

The Membership Committee's primary duties are the five yearly reviews for existing member organisations (Quinquennial Reviews) and the consideration of Applications from Organisations seeking Membership status (New Applicant Organisation applications). The committee reviews roughly 15 existing UKCP Member Organisations (MOs) each year and addresses between 4 and 8 NAO applications.

The quinquennial review process carried out by the Membership Committee is supported by the quinquennial review procedures carried out by the Modality Sections. Each UKCP MO due for review is required to respond to a detailed questionnaire and as part of this response to provide various documents relevant to the structures, governance and conduct of the organisation. Particular consideration is given to the Codes of Ethics and Conduct and Complaint Procedures, along with the Management structure and process. The Membership Committee is also concerned with ensuring that MOs continue to meet UKCP's requirements for Membership.

In 2004 the Membership Committee amended the Quinquennial review process to require the UKCP's Quality Assurance and Regulations Manager (QARM) to attend the Modality Sections' visits to MOs as part of the visiting team. This was aimed at developing the process toward integrating the two strands and improving the UKCP's understanding of the performance and needs of MOs.

The procedure for NAO Applications is closely analogous to that for Quinquennial Reviews, with a detailed questionnaire requiring submission of a range of documents and response to specific issues. There is also a Modality Section element to the process that includes an inspection visit and review of Training and Accrediting Processes where applicable.

The Membership Committee meets between six and eight time each year and is supported by the UKCP's Quality Assurance and Regulations Manager. The Chair of the Membership Committee is associated with the post of Honorary Secretary of the UKCP. The committee elects its own Vice-Chair.

The following Excerpt from the UKCP Membership Bye-Laws clarifies the UKCP's rules for Membership:

4. Membership

4.1 Membership is open to organisations which support the aims and objectives of the Council. There will be five categories of membership: Full Membership, Special Membership, Associate Membership, Institutional Membership and Contingent Membership:-

4.1.1 Full Membership shall be for organisations having a significant commitment and making a contribution to psychotherapy and/or psychotherapeutic counselling;

4.1.2 Special Membership shall be for the British Psychological Society and the Royal College of Psychiatrists;

4.1.3 Institutional Membership shall be for organisations which by virtue of size and multiple orientation do not fit readily into any Section;

4.1.4 Associate Membership shall be for organisations with an interest in psychotherapy but not eligible for, or not wanting, Full Membership;

4.1.5 Contingent Membership shall be for organisations which have been accepted by a Section as meeting its criteria, but which failed to meet the definition of an Organisation as contained in these Byelaws.

4.2 Only Full Members, Special Members, and Institutional Members shall be entitled to vote at Meetings of the Charity when there shall be one vote per Member. Associate Members and Contingent Members shall have no right to vote, but shall have the right to attend General Meetings of the Charity.

4.3 Contingent Members and Associate Members shall have no right to stand for Membership of the Governing Board, the Registration Board or the Standards Board. Their delegates shall not be eligible for co-option onto sub-committees relating to ethics and discipline, but shall be eligible for co-option onto any other sub-committees appointed by the Governing Board under Article 37.

5. Application for Membership

5.1 Applications for Membership from Organisations shall first be considered by the Governing Board which shall determine if the applicant is an Organisation within the provisions of paragraph 2 above.

5.2 If approved the applicant shall be invited to approach any of the Sections and all applications shall be considered by the Sections.

5.3 Sections shall forward the titles of Organisations applying for Membership and recommended for Membership by each Section to the Governing Board in writing six months in advance of the Annual General Meeting. In the event of a disagreement within the Section the views of the minority shall also be conveyed to the Governing Board.

5.4 The Governing Board shall receive the advice of the Section as set out in paragraph 5.3 above and shall make a recommendation for or against Membership of the applying Organisation to the Annual General Meeting.

5.5 Applicants must receive a majority of 75% of votes cast at an Annual General Meeting to be admitted as a Member. Applicants which fail to achieve this majority may reapply the following year but not more than two years consecutively.

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