FDAP Qualifications: National Counsellor Accreditation Certificate (NCAC)
Please see the links above for further information.
Overview
FDAP's National Counsellor Accreditation Certificate (NCAC) scheme is a professional certification for drug and alcohol counsellors.
FDAP is recognised by the United Kingdom Register of Counsellors/Psychotherapists (UKRCP) as an accrediting body. This makes NCAC a nationally recognised award and means that NCAC counsellors can join the UKRCP register on the same terms as accredited practitioners of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and the Confederation of Scottish Counselling Agencies (COSCA).
As registrants of the UKRCP NCAC counsellors will also be able to include their details on the online UKRC register and advertise in the UKRCP corporate box in Yellow Pages.
NCAC accreditation also provides complementary evidence of competence in a number of the DANOS units in FDAP's Drug and Alcohol Professional Certification scheme (specifically units AA2, AA6, AC1, AC2, AF2, AI1, AI3 & BI5).
NCAC accreditation is valid for three years, after which members must apply for re-accreditation. It is open only to individual members of FDAP and employees of corporate affiliate agencies.
Standard Criteria for Accreditation
You can apply for accreditation if you provide counselling or psychotherapy to individual people, couples, groups or families and can provide satisfactory evidence to meet all Criteria 1 to 6 below.
In order to meet the standard for accreditation, you must show that you can satisfy each of the criteria that follow, which are numbered 1 to 6.
When you apply, and throughout the assessment process, you must be:
Covered by agency and/or personal professional indemnity insurance for all of your counselling/therapeutic practice (Please enclose a copy of your insurance certificate(s) when sending your application).
3rd Criterion: Professional Practice
When you submit your application you must be practicing counselling or psychotherapy.
Have undertaken training and supervised practice to meet ONE of the following three alternative routes:
Route One
You have been awarded a qualification from a FDAP accredited training course
And
Professional Practice requirement:
- Have been in practice at least three years when you apply for accreditation, 1.5 years of which have been in the substance use/addictions field.
- Have at least 400 hours of supervised practice accumulated within three to six years, of which 250 hours should be in the addictions field*. They do not have to be consecutive years
- Have been supervised for at least 1½ hours per month throughout the periods of practice submitted
Route Two
You have successfully completed and received an award at Higher Education Diploma level 5 or above for practitioner training in counselling and/or psychotherapy validated by a recognised college or university, that:
- Included at least 450 hours of tutor contact hours of which 200 must be related to training in core addiction counselling techniques, and be generally relevant to the broader professional responsibilities as illustrated in the “core functions”. *
- Was carried out over at least two years (part-time) or one year (full-time)
- Had a supervised placement as an integral part of the training
- Covered theory, skills, professional issues and personal development
And
Professional Practice requirement:
- Have at least 400 hours of supervised practice accumulated within three to six years, of which 250 hours should be in the addictions field*. They do not have to be consecutive years
- Have been supervised for at least 1½ hours per month throughout the period of practice submitted
- Have been in practice at least three years when you apply for accreditation – of which 1.5 yrs should be in the addictions field
* FDAP NCAC accreditation recognises that the role of a counsellor in the addictions field extends beyond counselling per se - and includes a range of broader professional responsibilities including comprehensive assessment (including initial assessment, intake and orientation) , treatment planning, case management (including report and record keeping), crisis intervention, client education, consultation with other professionals in regard to client treatment, including referrals and supervision (e.g. the ‘core functions of the counsellor’, Kulewicz 1996); all practice hours should be hours spent working within the framework of those core functions.
Route Three
Have a portfolio of at least 450 hours of training validated by recognised college or university, equivalent in breath and depth to that described in Route TWO above, that:
- Was carried out over at least three years
- Had a supervised placement as an integral part of the training
- Covered theory, skills, professional issues and personal development
And
Professional Practice Requirement
- Have been in practice at least three years when you apply for accreditation - 1.5 yrs in substance use/addiction field
- Have at least 400 hours of supervised practice accumulated within three to six years, of which 250 hours should be in the addictions field*. They do not have to be consecutive years
- Have been supervised for at least 1½ hours per month throughout the period of practice submitted
5th Criterion: Supervision
You have an ongoing contract for counselling/psychotherapy supervision for a minimum of 1½ hours per month for each month in which practice is undertaken.
6th Criterion: Reflective Practice
You must demonstrate the following:
Knowledge and understanding
Your Philosophy and Approach to Counselling within the addictions field.
- Describe the theory and application of your personal approach when working with (as applicable):
- Individuals
- Couples
- Groups
- Describe the place of your self-awareness within your way of working
Practice
In your case material account for:
- The demonstration of the broader professional responsibilities as illustrated in the core functions
- Your use of self-awareness in the therapeutic relationship
- How your practice demonstrates your awareness of issues of difference and equality and the impact they have on your counselling / psychotherapy relationships
- Use of the FDAP's code of practice for drug and alcohol professionals.
Supervision
In your case material demonstrate how supervision influences your practice by:
- Describing the awareness you have gained through reflection in and on supervision
- Showing how you apply that awareness in your practice
Before you complete your application please ensure that you meet all the criteria above:
If you have met all the criteria above, please complete the following forms and return to FDAP. Further information is provided on the 'Guidance' Page.
Forms:
- National Counsellor Accreditation Certificate (NCAC) Application
form:
PDF version | Word version
- Practice Supervisor Report form:
PDF version | Word version
- Guidance for the Proposer form:
PDF version | Word version
Sending us your application guidance notes.
N.B. Interviews
- As part of the application process, those applicants following Routes 2 and 3 will normally be interviewed before accreditation can be awarded.
- FDAP reserves the right to interview any applicant if it is judged that an interview is required to complete the accreditation process.
- Any applicant may request that an interview will be incorporated into the process of accreditation.
