The Irish Association for Play Therapy and Psychotherapy (IAPTP), established since 2006, is one of the professional bodies that recognises CTC’s Professional Training in Play Therapy & Psychotherapy (MA Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy & Play Therapy, Postgraduate Diploma in Play Therapy) and the Diploma in Child Psychotherapy & Play Therapy courses. The mission of IAPTP is to act as a self-regulating professional body for play therapists in Ireland and to protect clients, their families, and the profession itself, by setting stringent training and accreditation standards, ethical frameworks, and supportive policy and procedures. This body has set very stringent standards for this work, including a requirement for a minimum of 300 tutor student contact hours – greatly exceeding the training hours requirements of other play therapy professional bodies around the world (150 required by the Association for Play Therapy, 200 by the British Association for Play Therapy, and by Play Therapy International). IAPTP have identified and documented the benchmark criteria that are necessary for the safe and effective practice of play therapists. They require applicant training organisations to demonstrate that their training meets their required standards and equips graduates for professional practice. CTC is the only organisation thus far to have achieved course recognition with the IAPTP.
The Irish Association for Psychotherapy in Primary Care (IAPPC) was established following the publication in 2006 of the report of the ‘Expert Group on Mental Health’ entitled ‘A Vision for Change’. This report which was adopted in full as Government policy and accepted by each of the opposition parties, sets out clearly the key role of psychotherapy within the general healthcare system and in particular within primary care. The objective of the IAPPC is to facilitate the co-operation, mutual understanding and shared purpose between the psychotherapy profession and the medical profession anticipated by ‘A Vision for Change’.
The IAPPC carries out its objective in large part by maintaining a rigorous and comprehensive accreditation system for those highly qualified psychotherapists who have an interest in primary care. The standards set by the IAPPC for specialised psychotherapy training and for accredited membership are among the highest in Europe. In order to be recognised as a specialised post-graduate training course in the field of psychotherapy each course must satisfy the standards laid down from time to time by the Standards Board in consultation with the Primary Care Advisory Board. We are proud that our course is recognised by IAPPC.
QQI replaced the National Qualification Authority of Ireland (NQAI), The Further Education and Training Awards Council of Ireland (FETAC), and the Higher Education and Training Awards Council (HETAC) in November 2012. It also took over functions of the Irish Universities Quality Board. QQI has assumed all the functions of these four bodies. HETAC was the qualifications awarding body for third-level educational and training institutions outside the university sector in Ireland. The National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) provides the mechanism for recognising education and training in Ireland and provides a framework for assessing standards and progression options at each of the 10 levels. In general, access to training at any level is restricted to those who have successfully completed training at the preceding level (e.g. entry to a level 9 course is only open to those already holding a level 8 award). Higher level awards are equivalent to university qualifications and are recognised in 47 countries. Graduates receive a copy of their Diploma Supplement along with their parchment to make award identification outside Ireland easier.
The National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) provides the mechanism for recognising education and training in Ireland and provides a framework for assessing standards and progression options at each of the 10 levels. In general, access to training at any level is restricted to those who have successfully completed training at the preceding level (e.g. entry to a level 9 course is only open to those already holding a level 8 award). Our Quality Assurance document can be downloaded here.
