Rainy, ClubMan - You've raised a very interesting point I've never considered before as to the scope of registration which I'll try to think about through my own professional membership but which I reckon applies to osteopathy. I can check this with my chappie when I next see him on 30th January.
I'm a State Registered PAM (Profession Allied to Medicine, as we used to be called) State Registered in the UK through the Health Professionals Council (HPC). This must be renewed annually and requires that I have conducted a minimum number of art psychotherapy sessions during the previous year, that I continue to receive appropriate clinical supervision of my work, and that I am actively engaged in Continuing Professional Development. In addition I have a professional registration with The British Association of Art Therapists and publicly listed as a State Registered Art Therapist (available on-line and in reference section of libraries) so the public or any potential patient can check my status. I have union membership (AMICUS). I carry professional indemnity insurance. Not all practitioners/therapists do so but I value protection and safety for myself and my patients for most contingencies which might arise. It is not a substitute for safe ethical working but an integral aspect of self ethical working.
All the above is consequent on being deemed competent after basic training which is currently a University M.A. (formerly Postgraduate Diploma). I couldn't be on either the HPC's list of State Registered practitioners, nor appear in the BAAT list of Art Psychotherapists, without this.
When recently I was planning to relocate back to Ireland and practise in Dublin I contacted my professional body (BAAT) for information. In order to continue to be State Registered if I practised in Ireland (or anywhere else!) the requirements were (1) that I continue to receive clinical supervision, maintain minimum hours of practice, Continuing Professional Development and maintain code and ethics of the British Society of Art Therapists.
However Ireland does not have a professional category "Art Psychotherapist" or "Art Therapist" and practitioners work in less structured and defined arenas compared to the NHS and the education system in the UK. Now that I think about it, it is not clear to me in all of the above whether in another country, under another legislation, State Registration or professional accountability in the country where one trains have the same authority. I know that in the case of medics coming to UK and Australia from (for example) the Indian sub-continent they are required to transfer to the UK body (GMC) and there are conversion requirements. There are also conversion requirements and a lot of kerfuffle with Clinical Psychologists moving from one legislature to another, and they, too, often require to undertake conversion trainings to fit standards.
So I do see the difficulties for the lay person seeking this kind of treatment in Ireland. If there is no established "profession" there cannot be "professional standards" and protection.
Rainy I will certainly talk with Stephen Pirie (my osteopath) when I next see him and ask how this works. He teaches on one of the trainings here. I will also bring this up with BAAT.
