CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (C.P.D.)

Contents

Document Download

CPD Log (pdf)
CPD Log (Word Doc)

The Word document has been provided so that members can save it to their own computers and add to it from there.

Introduction

It is a requirement for BAPT Full membership to continue professional development. This is in line with the government impetus to monitor standards of training, performance and conduct. Evidence of continuing professional development (CPD) will be linked to registration and licence to practice in the near future, under BAPT's application to join the Health Professions Council.

All Full members of BAPT will be provided with a Professional Development Portfolio and further log pages or supplementary copies may be downloaded from the link in the document downloads section above. All CPD hours must be recorded in the portfolio in preparation for membership renewal at which time a random 5% sample will be submitted to the Training and Education subcommittee for monitoring.

Although students are not required to attend to issues of continuing professional development until after qualification, they may use the portfolio log should they wish, for example to keep a record of their clinical supervision. The BAPT will not expect student members to submit their log. The three year period starts from the date of qualification.

Continuing Professional Development requirement

The current BAPT requirement is 36 hours of CPD per year. During a period of any 3 consecutive years a minimum of 108 hours of CPD must be completed with no less than 18 hours in any one year, to include a minimum of 12 hours supervision per year at regular intervals. Additional hours completed in any one year may be carried over to the next year. Members need to take cognisance of BAPT’s document “An Ethical Basis for Good Practice in Play Therapy”, regarding anti-discriminatory practice and reflect this in their own practice, training and supervision

Parameters of Continuing Professional Development Activities

Supervision of practice: a minimum of 12 clinical supervision hours per year at regular intervals (24 hours per year for newly-qualified Play Therapists with less than one year’s experience). The minimum 12 hours per year of supervision are required for full and part-time Play Therapists. However BAPT strongly advises that for Play Therapists with a full-time workload, 12 hours is insufficient. BAPT recommends a structure of one supervision hour each week for a full-time work commitment of 12-16 face-to-face Play Therapy clients (pro rata for part time.) For newly-qualified Play Therapists, there is a minimum annual requirement of 24 hours, or a 6:1 ratio of session hours to supervision hours.
It is the responsibility of the Play Therapist to inform the workplace of the need for supervision and to ensure that it is sufficient to meet their own and their clients’ needs. Complex cases usually need more liaison, record-keeping and possibly, supervision time.

Click here for comprehensive information on supervision issues.
Play Therapy Approved Supervisors can be found here.

Training: Lectures, conferences, courses or workshops directly or indirectly related to Play Therapy (e.g. BAPT, BAAF, NSPCC, The Centre for Child Mental Health). You should be able to demonstrate that the course/workshop has enhanced your professional Play Therapy practice / met your Development Goals. The expectation is a minimum of 10 hours for full time and pro-rata for part-time Play Therapists. From the AGM 2006 a minimum of 10 hours per year training will apply to full and part-time Play Therapists.

Play Therapy related activities: The remaining hours of Continuing Professional Development can be covered by the following:

  • Providing clinical supervision or training to others;

  • Teaching;

  • Writing books, articles or papers about Play Therapy (3 hours per 1000 words) [Copy of the article or paper to be made available to BAPT. Book title, publishers and date of publication required]

  • Research or dissertation on Play Therapy;

  • Developing Play Therapy through work on professional committees, working parties or regional support groups (Play Therapy) or developing / promoting Play Therapy in an organisation;

  • Personal Therapy;

  • Maintaining the CPD portfolio (one hour);

  • Peer group discussion or attendance at a Play Therapy Support Group;

  • Reading, as part of working towards learning objectives e g: develop further knowledge of sand play by attendance at short course, reading and discussion with peers. Evaluate practice and learning. This would have to be evidenced on the Personal & Professional Goals page of the CPD portfolio (an optional section to help practitioners reflect on their training needs).

Exemptions

For example: unemployment, illness, working abroad, maternity/paternity leave. BAPT will give individual consideration in the case of exceptional circumstances.
Click here for further details

Monitoring CPD

A random 5% sample of Full Members will be asked to submit their entire CPD portfolio to the Training and Education sub-committee. These will be assessed and those Play Therapists who have not met the requirements will be given a written assessment and recommendations about bringing their CPD into line with requirements for Full Membership. A second submission will be required a year later and, if this still does not meet requirements, Full Membership of the Association may be withdrawn.

© The British Association of Play Therapists
(Updated May 2009)