Equality, diversity and inclusion
Creating a profession for the future

Equality, diversity and inclusion are central to 麻豆原创鈥檚 ethos. As the UK鈥檚 leading professional body for counselling professionals, we aim to lead on best practice in EDI, creating a profession where our members, colleagues, staff, partner organisations and clients can thrive and fully be themselves.

Creating a profession for the future means addressing many systemic issues. It requires fundamental change in our culture, values, belief systems, behaviour, organisational and structural systems, practice, services and financial commitment, over a sustained period.

Here you can find out more about our EDI strategy, the projects we're undertaking and the resources we're developing to create knowledge and learn with our members.

Our EDI strategy is the driving force behind all the workstreams and projects we're undertaking. It details our goals and the tactical steps we're taking to embed change.听

Thank you to all of you听who鈥檝e听previously听applied and shared your interest in our EDI mentoring听programme.听Due to its success,听and the听overwhelming听interest we received,听we are听re-opening the听programme听again听with听more听available places, increasing from 50 to 75 mentoring pairs.

The听mentoring听programme听aims听to support learning,听expertise,听and knowledge of EDI听and听anti-oppressive听best practices听in the therapeutic environment.听Students will be matched with 麻豆原创 members to听be mentored on听supporting,听acknowledging听and听raising awareness of听EDI in听counselling and psychotherapy.

We invite 麻豆原创 members and students from diverse, underrepresented and marginalised backgrounds, and those with lived experience and/or knowledge of EDI to participate.

All participants successfully matched will be contacted by early September 2026 and mentoring briefing sessions will begin at the end of September 2026 to kick start the programme. The notifications about the briefing sessions will be send out to participants in due course.

Our bursary programme aims to encourage underrepresented groups into the profession by providing financial support for counselling and psychotherapy training.

A pilot programme for 10 bursaries launched in November 2022 and applications had to close early due to overwhelming demand. Out of 10 awarded bursaries, 4 students have completed their training at the entry level, and six students continue their education at the progression level.

The current pilot programme is due to end in 2026 and will follow with the internal review and evaluation as part of our EDI strategic review. We hope to re-start the bursary programme post review and any information on the next wave of applications will be announced in due course.

Following a successful pilot grants programme and after a competitive application process, six grants have been awarded to 麻豆原创 organisational members in support of their work to remove barriers to therapy for people from racialised communities.

Based on feedback from a 2021 member survey, we've been taking steps to make individual accreditation more accessible.

To date we have:

• introduced a new online application process
• reduced the cost for those who need additional support
• provided simpler and alternative forms of guidance
• provided alternative support mechanisms or ways of applying for those with a learning difference or disability

We've also appointed a learning and disability consultant to provide specialist guidance and support.

Across our website you'll find many resources, articles and perspectives on EDI issues. Our resources page will be regularly updated with the latest views and guidance.听

The Coalition for Inclusion and Anti-Oppressive Practice has launched a toolkit called Race is complicated: A toolkit for psychological therapies training.

The Coalition focuses on promoting inclusive and anti-oppressive professional training as part of a greater vision to address further barriers to inclusive practice, particularly in relation to supporting racially and ethnically minoritised communities.听