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CPCAB’s qualifications are now on the QCF
Added 31st March 2010

CPCAB is very pleased to announce that all our counselling qualifications have now been revised and migrated successfully onto the new Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF): at present we are the only awarding body to have achieved this. In terms of your provision planning this means that from September 2010 all CPCAB’s qualifications will be on the QCF and none will be offered after this date on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). The only exception is those centres running year 2 of TC-L4 who should complete the current NQF qualification.

The revisions to our qualifications reflect the new way of recognising achievement on the QCF through the award of credits for units and qualifications. As you know, every qualification and unit in this new framework has a credit value showing how much time it takes to complete and a level showing how difficult it is, i.e. the credit value determines the title. In this respect, please note that (due to our revisions and the credit valuing process) our Certificate in Cognitive Behavioural Therapeutic Counselling and Skills (CBT-L5) is now a diploma, our Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling Supervision is now offered as a certificate on the QCF and our Introduction to Counselling Skills is changing from a certificate to an award: this reflects their actual credit values.

Other important changes to note are:

• Revised learning outcomes and criteria for all units
• Reduction in PC-L5 guided learning hours from 210 to 120 GLH
• Reduction in TCSU-L6 guided learning hours from 120 to 90 GLH
• Removal of Self Review external assessment for ICSK-L2

You can find the new qualification documents on our website and on the National Database of Accredited Qualifications (NDAQ) website.

Another notable change to our qualifications includes their thorough grounding in an updated research informed model of counsellor development and practice which has been designed in both definable and measurable terms to enable trainees to become more effective counsellors. This is of critical importance in the context of the Department of Health’s New Horizons consultation, “Towards a shared vision for mental health” which highlights the need for all interventions to be demonstrably proven and good value for money, and which points the way towards future government priorities and policy.

Should you have any further questions or concerns please contact us – we will be pleased to help.

CPCAB core qualifications now on QCF!
Added 4th March 2010

CPCAB is delighted to announce that we have migrated our core qualifications to the QCF. These will be available for delivery from September 2010. We are in the process of preparing new qualification documents and will make these available on our website as soon as possible. In the meantime eager beavers can visit NDAQ to see the details and look at the new criteria.

All the qualifications are structured as single unit qualifications (with one mandatory unit) except for TC-L4, which has seven mandatory units. The details are as follows:

QCF Qualification title *	Qualification code	GLH	Credit
CPCAB Level 2 Award in Introduction to Counselling Skills (ICSK-L2)	500/7762/4	30	5
CPCAB Level 2 Award in Effective Listening Skills (ELSK-L2)	500/7794/6	15	3
CPCAB Level 2 Award in Listening Support Skills (LSK-L2)	500/7793/4	20	4
CPCAB Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills (CSK-L2)	500/7938/4	90	17
CPCAB Level 3 Certificate in Counselling Studies (CST-L3)	500/8009/X	90	18
CPCAB Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling (TC-L4)	500/8088/X	420	120

* Please note that there have been some changes in titling; these reflect the QCF’s titling conventions, based on credit value.

In the process of making the necessary changes for the move to the QCF we have also taken the opportunity to update and revise our qualifications to take account of the latest research findings on the principles of effective counselling and the likely requirements for regulation by HPC. We have successfully argued for retaining the CPCAB model and for restricted units which will be unique to CPCAB.

All qualifications on the QCF are eligible for funding and are part of the Sector Skills Councils’ Sector Qualification Strategies. Learners on TC-L4 will complete the current NQF qualification and those centres which are fortunate enough to get funding will continue to be able to do so next year.

At the moment the qualifications have been given a one-year accreditation in line with transitional arrangements but this will be extended to five years as soon as CPCAB completes Ofqual’s Supplementary Recognition process – which we expect to do in the next few weeks.

We expect to complete the accreditation of the level 5 and level 6 qualifications very soon – these are currently in progress. However, we can give you the following important information for planning purposes.

CBT-L5 - under the QCF this will become a Diploma, not a Certificate
PC-L5 – the GLH have been reduced from 210 GLH to 120 GLH (title unchanged)
TCSU-L6 - the GLH have been reduced from 120 GLH to 90 GLH and the title will be ‘Certificate’, not ‘Diploma’

In both cases the reduction reflects the recognition that learners do more self study than classroom study at this level. There will be some changes to the L5 minimum assessment requirements.

Important news - please read
Added 26th November 2009

CPCAB has received confirmation that Skills for Health will support the migration of our existing VQ qualifications to the QCF ready for September 2010. Some of the new qualifications have already appeared on the NDAQ database, others are still in progress but we are absolutely confident that they will all be on NDAQ by Spring 2010 and available for delivery in September 2010. This information is important for centre provision planning. Although some qualifications may initially appear with a 2010 end-date this is a technicality which will be rectified in due course.

All qualifications on the QCF will have a five year accreditation period when the migration process is complete.

The qualifications will look very familiar although they will be in the new QCF unit template, will have new accreditation numbers and will have credit attached.
We have also taken the opportunity to update all the qualifications in line with recent research and expected HPC requirements at the higher levels. You will also notice a technical improvement in the language of the learning outcomes and assessment criteria.

We are delighted that transferring the qualifications to the QCF has given us the opportunity to make sure that CPCAB qualifications are bang up to date with all developments in the field and that we have managed to preserve the CPCAB model at the heart of each one!

Please get in touch if you have any questions or concerns at admin@cpcab.co.uk.

Regulation Update January '09
Added 14th January 2009

Read the latest news on the regulation debate, including news about HPC.

Foundation Degree in Counselling
Added 14th January 2009

CPCAB has worked in partnership with the Open University to provide a Foundation Degree in Counselling. The degree combines CPCAB’s expertise and specialist knowledge of the field with the Open University’s expertise and experience in delivering flexible learning.

Read more information here

TC-L4 awarded 120 credits by Open University
Added 2nd July 2007

CPCAB's Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling (TC-L4) has been awarded 120 credit points by the Open University.

Psychological Therapies Consultation Response
Added 2nd May 2007

Skills for Health have recently carried out a scoping exercise to examine the functions carried out by psychotherapists and counsellors across the UK with a view to developing National Occupational Standards for Psychological Therapies. These standards can be used for a variety of purposes, one of which may be to inform later discussion about the threshold standards that could be used for the regulation of all those involved in delivering psychological therapy. Any such moves towards regulation will be the subject of further, separate consultation by the Health Department.   It is not clear at this stage how these standards will fit with the NOS for counselling which have been in the process of revision for some time. CPCAB took part in this consultation and responded to many of the concerns that it raised.

• View CPCAB’s response to this consultation

You can also view the initial Skills for Health consultation paper and their final report on their website www.skillsforhealth.org.uk.

Qualifications in Development
15th September 2006

ENTO, the Sector Skills Body for counselling, has given approval to CPCAB to develop three new qualifications, which are currently in the process of being submitted to the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) for approval.

1. Level 2 Award in Effective Listening Skills
2. Level 2 Award in Listening Support Skills
3. Level 5 Certificate in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (120 Guided Learning Hours). Applicants will need to have completed the CPCAB Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling or equivalent.

It is anticipated that these will be available in January 2007. At this stage, and to support the submissions, Maureen Moore (our Director of Qualifications Development) would be delighted to receive expressions of interest in the above three proposals. You can email Maureen via mmoore@cpcab.co.uk.

National Occupational Standards (NOS)
15th September 2006

Following considerable consultation which include professional associations, user groups, counsellors and allied professionals, the final draft of the NOS have been sent to QCA for their consideration. Until these new standards have been approved we will continue to refer to the existing standards in all qualifications. As soon as the new standards are agreed CPCAB will inform all Centres via our newsletter and this web page.

Mentoring
15th September 2006

There is a growth in interest in providing mentoring for people working in helping roles. Maureen Moore (our Director of Qualifications Development) would be interested in finding out how widespread this is and whether there is scope for a qualification in Mentoring which would be considerable shorter than our current Level 4 Diploma in Consultancy Supervision. If you would like to engage in a discussion about the merits of such a qualification, Maureen would be delighted to hear from you (please email: mmoore@cpcab.co.uk).

Regulation of counsellors
15th September 2006

Movement is continuing towards the regulation of the counselling profession (including the formal registration of those who can legally call themselves counsellors). There are still many uncertainties, including what the prescribed term for the registered practitioners will be. What is certain is that evidence of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) will play a very large part in the application process and in the process of continuing to be registered. We would encourage all counsellors to record and reflect on any CPD in which they participate. We might even suggest that they read the chapter by Maureen Moore (CPCAB's Director of Qualifications Development ) on Continuing Professional Development in a new book called Training and Training Standards, edited by Hooper. D and Weitz. P and published by Karnac.

Meet us at the BACP Conference & Exhibition
15th September 2006

CPCAB is taking a stand at this year’s BACP Annual Conference & Exhibition which is being held at the Business Design Centre in Islington, London on 6th and 7th October 2006.

The exhibition – which is free to BACP members and non-members – is the first of its kind and includes sections on training and professional practice which will be of great interest to counselling tutors and students.

At the event we’ll be talking about our range of qualifications – including some which are new for next year – and launching our tutor support packs and DVDs on basic counselling skills and common life and developmental problems. We’re also presenting a seminar on how you can use DVDs effectively in counselling training.

If you are going to the conference or the exhibition we’d love to meet you. We can be found on stand 79 in the main hall. To find out more, please call us on 01458 850350.

Events
15th September 2006

6th Annual Training and Education Conference: Training and Education for Delivering Psychological Therapies

Date: 14th September 2006.
Venue: ORT House Conference Centre.
Who Should Attend: trainers and educators from across the broad field of mental health.

The above event may be of interest to our tutors. If any tutors do attend it would be really helpful for CPCAB to receive a summary or report about the proceedings (in which case please email Maureen via mmoore@cpcab.co.uk).