Accreditation Process

---

The average time taken to process an application for Accreditation or Re-accreditation is currently 18 weeks. Accredited Practitioners will be invited to apply for Re-accreditation 4 weeks before their accreditation expires and must not submit their application any earlier than this. Once an application for Re-accreditation has been received you will still be considered Accredited until the application has been processed.

It is important that applicants allow this time when making their applications if they require their Accredited status for another purpose, for example as a requirement for entry to a job role, or before they may Supervise a trainee

Some applications might take longer if the Administration Team, Accreditation Liaison Officers (ALOs), or Accreditor/s require further information from the applicant, or someone else associated with the application, for example a Clinical Supervisor. In these circumstances, the Accreditation processing clock stops until the requested additional information is received

The Administration teams in the office are exceptionally busy. It is helpful if applicants refrain from contacting the office to chase progress of their applications, especially within the first 18 weeks, as this simply slows the entire application process for all applicants. Applicants who telephone or e-mail the office, chasing the progress of their application, will be referred to this page of the website. If, after reading the information contained in this page, you believe you have a good reason for chasing the progress of your application, please send an e-mail to accreditation@babcp.com stating your reasons

The processing of applications generally follows these steps

1. Application Pack Received

• The applicant is informed

• The receipt of the pack is registered on the applicant's record on BABCP Member database

• An electronic Accreditation Application Processing Tracker is completed, which will accompany the application pack throughout its journey through the process, and is filled in at each stage by the relevant officer handling the application pack

2. Administration Checks

Administration Checks usually take place within a working week. Administrators check the quality of the application pack; that the correct forms have been used, that they have been signed and dated appropriately, that the correct Reports and attachments are present, that the correct fee has been paid. They also link records within the Member database and check the status of any Referees or Supervisors

If there are any omissions or obvious problems, the Administrator will either ask the applicant to provide missing components if this can be immediately or very simply rectified, or the application will be returned to the applicant as ‘inadmissible' with recommendations for improving the quality of the application pack

If there are no obvious problems, the application pack will be sent to Triage

3. Triage

Triage is carried out by an Accreditation Liaison Officer (ALO), and a more in depth examination of the quality of the application pack is undertaken, ensuring that the relevant sections of the application form have been filled in, and a cursory check of supporting documentation and evidence takes place. Triage does not seek to evaluate or verify any of the claims within the application

If there are any obvious problems with quality, or obvious omissions, the ALO will either ask the applicant to provide missing components if this can be immediately or very simply rectified, or the application will be returned to the applicant as ‘inadmissible' with recommendations for improving the quality of the application pack

If there are no obvious problems, the application pack will be formally ‘admitted into process' and the applicant informed. The application pack is scanned to become a digital application pack, and will be queued for a First Accreditor

4. Accreditor Processing

Accreditor Processing is carried out by a panel of paid Accreditors. They are sent application packs via a digital dropbox. Accreditors evaluate the claims made within the application, scrutinise evidence, and verify that Accreditation Criteria have been met. Accreditors might at any time during processing contact the applicant or other parties to the application to seek further information. Accreditors may only retain an application pack for 6 weeks whilst awaiting further information. Accreditors liaise with each other and with the ALOs during the process

First Accreditor completes their stage of the processing, and makes a recommendation to the Second Accreditor

• If an applicant does not provide additional information requested by either Accreditor within 6 weeks of the request, the application will be considered 'withdrawn - applicant failed to respond'

• Rarely, a significant problem will be identified at this stage which will require the First Accreditor to negotiate withdrawal of the application with the applicant

The application pack is returned to the Administration team and queued for a Second Accreditor

Second Accreditor completes their stage of the processing

• If the First and Second Accreditor agree that the applicant has not met Accreditation Criteria, or if the application pack is of insufficient quality to validate the claims, the Second Accreditor will liaise with the applicant and negotiate withdrawal of the application, and provide guidance on what would be required when re-submitting

• If the First and Second Accreditors disagree with each other, or if they feel the application is borderline, an Accreditation Liaison Officer is engaged to complete an assessment of the application pack, and their decision is passed back to the Accreditors. The Second Accreditor is responsible for negotiating withdrawal of the application, if necessary

• If an applicant who has been asked to withdraw their application refuses to do so, they will be formally notified that they are not being awarded Accreditation, and on what grounds. They may appeal to the Senior Accreditation Liaison Officer in the first instance. Should the Senior ALO uphold the Accreditors' decision, the applicant may appeal to the Chair of the Accreditation and Registration Committee

• If the First and Second Accreditors recommend Accreditation, their recommendation for award is passed to the Administration team

5. Awarding Accreditation / Re-accreditation. The Administration team formally notifies the applicant of their success by letter

For Provisional Accreditation and Practitioner, Supervisor and/or Trainer Accreditation Route B, the applicant will be invited to activate their Accreditation

Please note that after your application has successfully completed the process and you are awarded accreditation, your application and any documentation will be destroyed. Please do not send original certificates and take copies of documents or information you wish to keep.

If you have any queries about Accreditation, please contact the Accreditation Liaison Officers, by e-mailing accreditation@babcp.com