Knowledge, Skills & Attitudes (KSA) - The Alternative to Core Profession

Before you apply for Provisional Accreditation, you must have fully met our criteria for CBT training. This includes having a BABCP recognised professional background in mental health. We call this Core Profession. Alternatively, we also acknowledge equivalent training and experience in mental health. This is known as the KSA route and it's completed in addition to an accreditation application. Its purpose is to open up accreditation to applicants from a wide a range of backgrounds. 

If you are eligible for this, you will put together a portfolio of evidence to be assessed by us or by your CBT course.  Some people complete their KSA in order to be accepted on a CBT training, and some complete it later - it will depend on your course and your experience.  However, in all cases you must ultimately also apply for Provisional Accreditation to become accredited.   

Assessment, Submission and Fees for KSA Portfolios

• Please check our Accreditation Fees page. Every KSA applicant has to pay a Provisional Accreditation fee, but not everyone has to pay a KSA fee - the exceptions are explained here.
• If you complete a Level 2 BABCP accredited course, the KSA will be assessed by the Course and you will submit your marksheet with a Level 2 Provisional Accreditation Application. You only need to pay the Provisional Accreditation fee.

• Some Level 1 BABCP Accredited courses also assess KSAs. In this case, you will provide your KSA marksheet with a Provisional Accreditation Application – and pay the Provisional – not KSA fee.  

• You won’t need to submit the content of the KSA portfolio with your application in these cases
• The KSA criteria are the same for everyone. However, accredited courses may use their own template for the portfolio, so you should check this with the course before you start writing
• If you completed a non-accredited course, or a Level 1 course which did not assess KSAs, you must submit the KSA portfolio with your Provisional Accreditation application and pay the Provisional with KSA fee. You should use the templates and guidelines below
• If you submit your KSA with your application and the Accreditors find that the portfolio meets the required standards but your application does not, we will send you a KSA Pass Verification certificate. Then if you go on to submit a new application later, you won't need to resubmit the KSA - just the certificate - and just pay the Provisional Accreditation Fee

Instructions for Payment and Online Submission of KSA Portfolios

Please follow the link below to instructions for how to submit and pay for your application for Provisional Accreditation and KSA portfolio.

• Provisional Online Document Submission Instructions [PDF]

Signatures

Many of the documents you will submit with your portfolio require signatures from you or other people. We are in the process of updating our documents to incorporate electronic signatures.  In the meantime, here is some guidance on how to validate a document or provide proof of identity if signatures aren't possible.

Signature Guidance [PDF]

KSA Guidelines

KSA documents