We've been reviewing our Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions听2018 and as part of the review our first consultation (2023 to 2024) was designed to understand where clarity and changes were needed in terms of the purpose, content and structure of the Ethical Framework.

Thank you to all members who took the time to feedback during our听first and second consultation and shared听your听thoughts with us, your听voices have helped to shape our new鈥�Ethical Framework鈥痉谤补蹿迟.听

We want to ensure the new鈥�Ethical Framework鈥痺orks for you, so the second consultation听focused听on what you may need to use it in your practice, any barriers to implementation and what additional resources we can provide to support you in being able to effectively use the new鈥�Ethical Framework.听

New draft Ethical Framework documents听

*Please note听this is not the听final听version听of听the听new听Ethical Framework. This will be听published in Autumn听2026.*听

Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions 2025 (Word)
Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions 2025 (PDF)听
Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions 2025 FAQs (Word)

Update on鈥�Ethical Framework鈥�review (EFR)听

Thank you to everyone who听participated听in the鈥�贰迟丑颈肠补濒鈥疐谤补尘别飞辞谤办鈥�review听second听consultation process which听closed听on听Saturday 31 January 2026.听We鈥檙e听really听grateful听for听all听your feedback,听suggestions听and the range of views shared.鈥�听

The EFR team are now analysing all the feedback and consultation data preparing to share this with all members in the coming months. 奥别鈥檒濒 also be working on the final version of the听Ethical Framework听and creating some supplementary resources to support you.听

奥别鈥檒濒听continue to update听this page to include details of the data from the second consultation as they听emerge听and will听be keeping听you up to date through regular member communications.鈥�听

When did the second consultation close?听

The second consultation听closed听on听Saturday 31 January 2026.鈥�This was the final consultation听as part of the听Ethical Framework听review. All data and feedback will be听analysed听and shared.听You听can still view our听Ethical Framework听review听webinar听via our 鈥榦n-demand鈥� service,听耻苍迟颈濒鈥�Wednesday 25 February 2025听-听Implementing the new Ethical Framework draft 2025: Why, how and what? - 麻豆原创 - British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy.听

What happens next

The second consultation听helped us听understand how the changes to the鈥�Ethical Framework鈥�might听affect practitioners, supervisors, trainee counsellors, training courses, and services. All feedback gathered during this stage will be carefully reviewed听in the coming months听and used to shape the听final version听of the鈥�Ethical Framework, along with supporting materials and Good Practice in Action (GPiA) resources. These will help members confidently apply the updated鈥�Ethical Framework鈥�in their work.听

We鈥檙e听committed to making the鈥�Ethical Framework鈥痑vailable in a variety of accessible formats. The听final version听will be published by Autumn 2026, and听it'll听become鈥�mandatory three months after publication and launch.鈥�听

Reports

These reports are all the data and feedback we collected during the first consultation and since beginning the鈥�Ethical Framework鈥�review, which has helped to inform the draft.听Reports from the second consultation will be shared听in due course.听

1. Historical data report
1.(S) Historical data report executive summary
2. Literature review of contemporary ethical issues for counselling practitioners report 2018 to 2024
2.(S) Literature review of contemporary ethical issues for counselling practitioners report 2018 to 2024 executive summary
3. Public perception survey report 2023听
4. Public perception survey report 2024听
5. Get help with counselling public feedback report
6. Focus group data report听
6.(S) Focus group data report executive summary
7. Organisational member courses and services consultation report
8. Organisational member courses and services day informal feedback report 2023听
9. Complex ethical queries (EFIG) historical data amendment for March 23 to March 24 report
10. Informal feedback report
11. Ethics service data report January 2023 to March 2025
12. Member survey, quantitative data report
12.(S) Member survey, quantitative data report executive summary
13. Member survey qualitative data report
14. Email and social media feedback report
15. Good practice in action resources feedback report
16. Member survey report addendum
17. Professional conduct data report
18. Artificial intelligence and technology in therapy member survey report
18.(S) Artificial intelligence and technology in therapy member survey report executive summary
19. Good practice in action resources survey report
20. Analysis process of consultation data report

Professor Andrew Reeves and Myira Khan introduce the new Ethical Framework draft. Watch as they discuss the development of the new Ethical Framework draft, how they intend to use it and how it'll work for practitioners.听