Can TC-L4 placement hours consist of work I do with children?

All candidates must undertake sufficient client hours to demonstrate their ability to work with adults. In practice this means that only a proportion of client hours can be with children. Tutors can exercise discretion as to the exact proportion in relation to their own candidates but CPCAB recommends that at least 70% of the total client hours should be with adults.

The only exceptions are:

Firstly, where the centre has applied for and been approved to run a diploma with a descriptor that contextualises the qualification. Where this is the case a descriptor (eg “working with children and young people”) is added to the qualification certificate and the client work would reflect this specialism.

Secondly, where the counselling placement is with Place2be, in which case up to 50% of client hours can be working with children if this has been explicitly agreed by the candidate’s own training centre after considering all the professional aspects of the arrangement. CPCAB has entered into this unique agreement with Place2be in recognition of the high quality of additional specialist training and supervision offered to all their volunteer counsellors. Furthermore, candidates on Place2be placements have the option to take the additional specialist Level 4 Certificate in Working with Children which has been developed for Place2be. The assessment for this additional certificate requires a separate portfolio and case study evidencing working with children, but the client hours and supervision can be used towards both qualifications.