Frequently Asked Questions - Trainee
What are awarding bodies?
Is CSCT an awarding body?
Does CSCT specify assessment requirements for NQF qualifications?
Why has CSCT not published awarding bodies' assessment requirements
in the CSCT tutor and trainee guides this year?
Why has CSCT taken CPCAB assessment criteria out of the CSCT tutor and
trainee guides this year?
Who approves/endorses CSCT materials?
What are the awarding bodies' responsibilities?
What are the centres' responsibilities?
What are the tutors' responsibilities?
What is CSCT's responsibility?
What are trainees' responsibilities?
What sort of personal qualities should counselling trainees'
have?
What is the structure of CSCT Counselling Studies (Intermediate) (for
CPCAB Qualification CST03)?
What is a CPCAB descriptor?
What theoretical models are available for the CSCT Therapeutic Counselling
Programme for CPCAB Qualification TC04?
Is there a requirement for personal counselling or therapy?
How can I find a suitable counsellor or therapist?
What are Guided Learning Hours (GLH)?
What is the CPCAB?
What is the AQA?
What is NCFE?
What is the difference between CPCAB and BACP?
If someone has completed a course with a descriptor, can
they then do the level above with a different descriptor?
What do the levels on the National Qualification Framework mean?
What happens if trainees need to appeal or complain?
Are CSCT courses BACP Accredited?
Will I be BACP Accredited when I get my Diploma?
What are awarding bodies?
Awarding bodies are organizations (e.g. CPCAB, AQA, NCFE, City and Guilds,
ABC/Centra , Edexcel) that are approved by the UK government through the
Qualifications Curriculum Authority to offer a range of funded qualifications
on the National Qualifications Framework.
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Is CSCT an awarding body?
No, CSCT is not an awarding body. CSCT is a counselling training provider
and publisher of counselling training programmes. CSCT writes counselling
training materials that meet the National Qualifications Framework specifications
of nationally approved awarding bodies.
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Does CSCT specify assessment requirements for NQF qualifications?
No. Only awarding bodies can specify assessment requirements for NQF qualifications.
As CSCT is NOT an awarding body, it has no responsibility for the design
and specification of assessment requirements or criteria for National
Qualifications. CSCT training programmes are written so that trainees
will be prepared to meet the awarding body's assessment requirements.
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Why has CSCT not published awarding bodies' assessment
requirements in the CSCT tutor and trainee guides this year?
All awarding bodies publish assessment requirements in their qualification
documents.
CSCT seeks to avoid confusion of responsibilities and unnecessary duplication.
It is up to the centres and tutors to set and implement the awarding bodies'
requirements for each qualification. CSCT will, however, give examples
of assignments within the CSCT tutor forum on the CSCT website.
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Why has CSCT taken CPCAB assessment
criteria out of the CSCT tutor and trainee guides this year?
Please see FAQ above. In addition, CPCAB resubmitted their qualification
units, elements, assessment criteria and assessment requirements to QCA
this year and CSCT finalised guide production before approval of amendments
was confirmed.
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Who approves/endorses CSCT materials?
There is currently no statutory requirement either in respect of application
for funding, or in the running of any specific qualification, for educational
material written to NQF qualifications to be endorsed either by an Awarding
Body or the Qualifications Curriculum Authority. However, as part of CSCT's
commitment to the national provision of high quality counselling training
programmes, CSCT continue to collaborate with awarding bodies (e.g. CPCAB,
AQA) in a quality assurance process.
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What are the awarding bodies' responsibilities?
To design qualifications that meet QCA requirements; approve of and register
centres, tutors and candidates; standardise tutors; externally verify
centres. To design and set assessment and qualification requirements,
externally assess trainees; award certificates to successful trainees.
What are the centres' responsibilities?
To register the centre with an awarding body or awarding bodies; to employ
tutors, to programme courses, apply for funding and select trainees; to
internally verify each course.
To implement equal opportunities, anti-discriminatory practice and appeals
procedures.
What are the tutors' responsibilities?
To register the course and candidates with the awarding body, to set and
implement an assessment programme that meets the awarding body's specifications.
To deliver the training and assess trainees.
What is CSCT's responsibility?
To keep aware of and respond to QCA and awarding bodies' changes to counselling
qualifications. To design, write and publish counselling training programmes
that
a) meet awarding bodies' programmes of study for each qualification
b) prepare trainees for awarding bodies' qualifications
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What are trainees' responsibilities?
Trainees are responsible for their learning, including understanding and
implementing course requirements, and participation in class activities.
Trainees should try not to become involved in any personal material with
which they are unable to deal. CSCT counselling skills training programmes
do not constitute counselling and therapy. Trainees need to maintain a
boundary between material suitable for exploration and discussion within
the training group, and material that should be taken to personal counselling
or therapy. Trainees are also responsible for regular attendance, for
keeping up with coursework between sessions, and submission of assignments
on dates set by tutors.
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What sort of personal qualities should counselling
trainees' have?
Trainees need to demonstrate evidence of the following qualities, or the
potential for developing them:
· Self awareness, maturity and stability.
· Ability to make use of and reflect upon life experience.
· Capacity to cope with the emotional demands of counselling training.
· Ability to cope with the intellectual and academic requirements.
· Ability to form a helping relationship.
· Ability to be self-critical and use both positive and negative
feedback.
· Some awareness of the nature of prejudice and oppression.
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What is the structure of CSCT Counselling Studies
(Intermediate) (for CPCAB Qualification CST03)?
CSCT Counselling Studies will focus on preparing trainees for the CSCT
Therapeutic Counselling Programme, and includes material on the professional
framework (i.e. working in agencies), practical skills training as well
as an overview of the 3 theoretical approaches (humanistic, psychodynamic
and cognitive-behavioural). The theory addressed will be readily applicable
to preparing to work with clients. Trainees will also be introduced to
Supervision.
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What is a CPCAB descriptor?
CPCAB Descriptors are attached to the main qualification titles, and can
either refer to the model, e.g. humanistic, psychodynamic etc, or to the
context or setting of the work, e.g. Certificate in Counselling Skills
- Working with Addictions; Certificate in Counselling Skills - Working
With Young People.
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What theoretical models are available for the CSCT
Therapeutic Counselling Programme for CPCAB Qualification TC04?
Depending on what options colleges make available, trainees can choose
between a Humanistic, Psychodynamic or Integrative Diploma.
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Is there a requirement for personal counselling or
therapy?
Awarding bodies may specify a minimum number of hours of personal counselling
to be undertaken during training. However, centres/colleges may choose
to require trainees to undertake a greater number of hours of counselling
or therapy, and trainees are expected to adhere to college requirements.
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How can I find a suitable counsellor or therapist?
In looking for a counsellor or therapist, trainees are encouraged to consult
the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) Directory
or the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) register. Alternatively,
talk to the course tutor about what to look for in a counsellor or therapist.
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What are Guided Learning Hours (GLH)?
These are all tutor contact hours.
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What is the CPCAB?
The CPCAB was established in 1993 and is the only awarding body in Europe
to specialise in the field of counselling and is one of the largest awarding
bodies in this field. Managed by professional counselling practitioners,
trainers and supervisors, the CPCAB is based on a coherent structure of
trainee development that is carried through every level.
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What is the AQA?
The Assessment and Qualifications Alliance (AQA) is an independent company,
formed in April 2000 following the merger of the Associated Examining
Board and the Northern Examinations and Assessment Board. AQA is a QCA
approved awarding body, and is the largest of the three English unitary
awarding bodies.
What is NCFE?
In 1981, the Northern Advisory Council for Further Education (NACFE),
first established in 1947 to co-ordinate further education provision throughout
the nine LEAs, merged with the the Northern Counties Technical Examinations
Council (NCTEC)to become the Northern Council for Further Education. When
the further education sector was made independent of the government in
the early 1990s, NCFE has since then been identified simply as NCFE with
the letters no longer being an acronym.
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What is the difference between CPCAB and BACP?
CPCAB stands for The Counselling and Psychotherapy Central Awarding Body.
CPCAB has been providing awards since 1994, and is a nationally approved
awarding body. This means that CPCAB is authorised by the UK Government
(Qualifications Curriculum Authority) to award counselling and psychotherapy
qualifications, currently at Further Education levels (2-3), from 2003
- FE(2-3) and Higher Education levels (4-5) and mapped to the new National
Qualifications Framework.
BACP stands for the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapists
formerly BAC - British Association for Counselling. BACP is a professional
body which counsellors and psychotherapists can join (on payment of a
membership fee).
BACP provides professional accreditation for individual counsellors who
have substantial counselling training plus 450 hours of supervised counselling
practice. BACP also accredits supervisors and counselling trainers, and
has a scheme for "recognising" counselling training programmes
of 450 hours or more that meet a range of specified criteria. BACP's activities
include the publication of an Ethical framework for practice, a monthly
journal, response to complaints about members, and professional development
conferences.
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If someone has completed a course with a descriptor,
can they then do the level above with a different descriptor?
Yes, providing you have successfully passed the previous level and have
some knowledge and experience of the descriptor field you are choosing,
e.g. if someone is working with young people.
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What do the levels on the National Qualification Framework
mean?
The levels have been established by the Qualifications Curriculum Authority
to create nationally recognised standards of achievement within further
education. Counselling qualifications begin at Level 2 "Intermediate"
- broadly equivalent to GCSE level, followed by Level 3 "Advanced"
- equivalent to 'A' level qualifications. Level 4 qualifications, which
will be available from 2003, will be equivalent to degree level (higher
education).
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What happens if trainees need to
appeal or complain?
All Centres offering CSCT training programmes are expected to have appeals
and complaints procedures. Complaints should be made in writing to the
appropriate nominated person within the Centre or college, in accordance
with the declared complaints procedure of the Centre. CSCT has no involvement
in appeals and complaints against tutors or centres.
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Are CSCT courses BACP Accredited?
It is important to realise that BACP Course Accreditation/Recognition
is completely different from BACP Accreditation for Individual Counsellors.
Whilst completing a BACP Accredited Course makes the process of applying
for Individual Accreditation slightly more straightforward, CSCT's therapeutic
counselling training programme prepares trainees to fulfill the necessary
training requirements (e.g. a minimum of 450 hours of Skills and Theory
training), which counsellors need in order to apply for BACP accreditation.
BACP course accreditation depends on centre, staff, and programme specific
factors. Individual centres offering CSCT counselling training programmes
may seek BACP accreditation for their centre's programme.
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Will I be BACP Accredited when I get my Diploma?
No. To apply for BACP Accreditation as a counsellor, in addition to your
training hours you also, regardless of which training course you have
done, have to have completed 450 hours of supervised practice over a three
year period.
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