Terms of Reference

The National Heads of Counselling and Psychotherapy Education is an unincorporated group of heads of counsellor and psychotherapy educators in Australia. It is a group of people who agree to act together as a forum. The group remains informal, and its members make their own rules on how the group is managed. As an unincorporated forum, the National Heads of Counselling and Psychotherapy Education is not recognised as a separate legal entity to the members associated with it. It has no executive powers, other than those specifically delegated in these Terms of Reference.

NHCPE provides a platform that supports, influences, and advocates for developing the quality, sustainability and growth of counselling and psychotherapy higher education in Australia. We recognise and value high quality learning, teaching, research and scholarship within the counselling and psychotherapy profession. We advise on matters pertaining to counselling and psychotherapy education to professional and educational bodies.

• Provide a forum for heads of providers of counselling and psychotherapy higher education to meet and discuss matters relevant to learning and teaching

• Strategically advocate and support the recognition and promotion of the counselling and psychotherapy profession

• Support the sustainable development of high-quality counselling and psychotherapy higher education courses across Australia

• Provide a platform for the promotion of counselling and psychotherapy education research

• Provide a vehicle for students and counsellor educators to network and engage with counselling and psychotherapy research

• Act as a reference group providing expert commentary to professional associations and to government.

The membership of the National Heads of Counselling and Psychotherapy Education steering committee comprises of 6 member representatives from across the following higher education counsellor institutions: Universities; University Colleges; Private Higher Education Colleges; Private Higher Education Institutions

All steering group committee members are full and equal members and share responsibility for the decisions of the Forum.

It is agreed that nominated deputies would be able to attend National Heads of Counselling and Psychotherapy Education steering committee forums. Where the steering group determines it appropriate, membership may be extended to other individuals to ensure an appropriate balance in representation amongst counsellor education professional groupings and across the range of education service provision.

Membership of the Steering group committee is a minimum of 2 years.

There is a three-year cycle for the Chair position for the existing steering committee members. A different member of the steering committee will take up the Chair position for one year of this three-year cycle.

The duties of the National Heads of Counselling and Psychotherapy Educators steering committee members are summarised as follows:

• to act with reasonable care and diligence

• to act honestly and fairly in the best interests of the group

• not to misuse their position or information they gain as a responsible person

• to disclose conflicts of interest

• to ensure that the financial affairs of the group are managed responsibly.

The general membership of the National Heads of Counselling and Psychotherapy Education forum comprises paid institutional members of an accredited higher education counsellor education course provider.

It is agreed that nominated deputies could attend National Heads of Counselling and Psychotherapy Educators working group forums.

Where the steering group determines it appropriate, general membership may be extended to other individuals to ensure an appropriate balance in representation amongst counsellor education professional groupings and across the range of education service provision.

All general members are invited to:

• To contribute to the National Heads of Counselling and Psychotherapy Education forum activities in a manner that upholds professional standards of governance.

• Comply with their terms and conditions of membership.

• Promote the work of the forum within the counselling and psychotherapy field.

• Maintain an institutional subscription for membership of the National Heads of Counselling and Psychotherapy Education forum

• Promote standards for counselling and psychotherapy education and training in Australia.

• Contribute to reference groups providing expert commentary to professional associations and to government.

• Contribute content to the National Heads of Counselling and Psychotherapy Education website for the purpose of membership visibility and dissemination of information.