FDAP Qualifications: Drug & Alcohol Professional Certification
This provides a long needed, competence-based, clinical governance mechanism for the addiction field.
Rob Kenyon, Leeds PCTs
...an important step towards helping develop a highly-skilled, effective workforce.
Lord Adebowale, Chief Executive, Turning Point
This is a major step towards professionalism & parity of esteem for drug & alcohol practitioners.
Trevor Boutall, DANOS consultant
This will help improve professionalism & ensure practitioners' roles & careers acquire greater credibility & recognition.
Nick Barton, Action on Addiction
At last, a route that recognises & rewards the professionalism of drug & alcohol workers.
Elizabeth Flegg, Sussex DAATs
Overview
Introduction
FDAP's Drug & Alcohol Professional Certification provides a competence-based certification for drug and alcohol practitioners, based around the Drug & Alcohol National Occupational Standards (DANOS).
To be certified as a Drug & Alcohol Professional, practitioners need to provide evidence of competence in nine compulsory NOS units plus one from a set of 'optional' DANOS units.
Under the scheme, practitioners can be certified as either Registered or Accredited Drug and Alcohol Professionals.
Registration
To be Registered as a Drug and Alcohol Professional practitioners will, as a minimum, need their employers to attest to their competence in each of the 9 'compulsory' units and their one additional 'optional' unit.
Registration provides a first step in demonstrating workplace competence.
Accreditation
To be Accredited as a Drug and Alcohol Professional practitioners need to have their competence in the ten units confirmed by competence-assessed qualifications.
Accreditation provides externally validated evidence of occupational competence.
The units
DANOS compulsory units
- AB5 Assess and act upon immediate risk of danger to substance users
- (either) AF2 Carry
out assessment to identify and prioritise needs
(or) AF3 Carry out comprehensive substance misuse assessment
Other compulsory units ["Health & Social Care"& "General Health" NOS]
- HSC 233 Relate to and interact with individuals
- HSC 31 Promote effective communication for and about individuals
- HSC 32 Promote, monitor & maintain health, safety and security at work
- HSC 33 Reflect on and develop your practice
- HSC 35 Promote choice, well-being and the protection of all individuals
- HSC 3111 Promote the equality, diversity, rights & responsibilities of individuals
- GEN 36 Make use of supervision
Optional DANOS units [one from these]
- AB2 Support individuals who are substance users
- AB7 Provide services to those affected by someone else’s substance use
- AD1 Raise awareness about substances, their use and effects
- AD4 Develop & disseminate information & advice about substance use etc
- AE1 Test for substance use
- AG1 Develop, implement and review care plans for individuals
- AH1 Prescribe controlled drugs for substance users
- AH3 Supply and exchange injecting equipment for individuals
- AH7 Support individuals through detoxification programmes
- AH9 Supervise methadone consumption
- AH10 Employ techniques to help individuals to adopt sensible drinking behaviour
- AI1 Counsel individuals about their substance use...
- AI3 Counsel groups of individuals about their substance use...
Recertification
Certification is valid for three years. To be eligible for re-certification, a practitioner must provide up to date evidence of their on-going competence in the units concerned.
Professional standards
As well as demonstrating their competence, to be Certified as a Drug & Alcohol Professional practitioners must also adhere to FDAP's Code of Practice.
Costs
Certification costs £75 for three years. (Reductions are available for those applying through affiliated agencies - there is a £25 charge for practitioners who are already Accredited by FDAP as Drug & Alcohol Counsellors).
Notes
For more information, click on the links at the top of the page.
This scheme is open to individual members of FDAP and to employees of affiliated agencies only.
Counsellors with FDAP NCAC Accreditation as a Drug & Alcohol Counsellor are eligible for Accreditation as a Drug & Alcohol Professional with an additional cost of £25 and no further qualifications.
