British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy

The British Association for Counselling grew from the Standing Conference for the Advancement of Counselling, a grouping of organisations inaugurated in 1970 at the instigation of the National Council for Voluntary Organisations. Membership was extended to include individuals when in 1977, with the aid of a grant from the Home Office Voluntary Service Unit, the British Association for Counselling was founded.

In 1978 the headquarters was moved from London to Rugby courtesy of the National Marriage Guidance Council which provided free accommodation to help the association establish itself. The Association is now located in Lutterworth.

In September 2000, the Association recognised that it no longer represented just counselling, but also psychotherapy. It changed its name to the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).

BACP is now the largest and broadest body within the sector with over 41,000 members.

BACP participates in the development of counselling and psychotherapy at an international level.

BACP's vision is to lead the effort to make counselling and psychotherapy widely recognised as a profession.

BACP's mission is to be the leading professional body for counselling and psychotherapy and an automatic reference point for anyone seeking information on counselling and psychotherapy in the United Kingdom.

BACP's objectives are:

BACP is a company limited by guarantee and a registered Charity. The governing instrument is the Memorandum and Articles of the Association. The Trustees, known collectively as the Board of Governors, govern the Association.

BACP operates specialist interest divisions and forums that focus on informing members and the public:

In February 2013 BACP's voluntary register was accredited by the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care. BACP's register is the first register of counselling and psychotherapy professionals to be accredited under the scheme set up by the Department of Health and administered by an independent body, accountable to Parliament.

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