This joint project of the British Infertility Counselling Association (BICA) and the British Fertility Society (BFS) is an international first; a professional award in infertility counselling for counsellors working in the broad field of reproductive treatment and assisted conception. Six Awards have now been made and, and more candidates hope to submit portfolios for assessment in the near future. We are recruiting the next group of counsellors to start work with us this Autumn.

This Award offers workshops to prepare the candidate for producing a portfolio of evidence about their practice although it does not include formal training input. It is based on the widely accepted model of accreditation for competence demonstrated during ordinary professional practice and associated critical reflection which is presented in a portfolio of evidence. It also serves to help candidates identify where further training or experience are required before full professional competence can be claimed.

Achieving the Award will also count as continuing professional development credits for reaccreditation by the BACP and UKCP. Although the regulations are very much in development at the moment, we hope it will be possible to combine work for accreditation by the BACP with this portfolio.

We are working towards a future when standards of counselling in UK licensed centres are safeguarded by the requirement that all infertility counsellors are registered with the Health Professions Council, and have qualifications recognised by the HFEA. The Infertility Counselling Award is already recognised by the HFEA as an appropriate qualification for appointment of counsellors to assisted conception clinics. BICA has adopted an accreditation scheme with three levels following full consultation with the membership. We are developing ways of integrating our requirements with those of BACP for Level 2 accreditation, with this Award representing a level 3 accreditation for those wishing to demonstrate their specialist ability at a higher level [see the Journal of Fertility Counselling Spring 2004]. We also hope that the requirements of the portfolio will permit APEL arrangements for example. BICA’s recent successful Introductory course in infertility counselling will contribute valuably to recognition at Level 2 accreditation.

The Award must be self financing, as BICA has no funds to underwrite it, but the aim is that the Award will carry a break even fee. If 10 people register for the Award the fee would be approx. £450. This would have to increase if fewer register as most of the costs are fixed. If those who join wish to register for Master’s degree credits, equivalent to one third of a Master’s degree which we hope will enhance its value to infertility counsellors weighing up the value of it against the undoubted amount of work involved, this would add £100 approx. to the cost. We hope that clinics or other employers would contribute to this cost. For those working in the NHS it might be possible to get financial support through the local Workforce Confederation.

We do hope that all practising infertility counsellors will give serious consideration to taking the Infertility Counselling Award. Anyone who is interested should contact me at jmonach@bica.net for further details

Dr Jim Monach,

Chair, National Accreditation Board