| AIP : Association for Independent Practitioners |
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| BACP Research Department & AIP | ||
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The BACP Research Department plays an important role in BACP s commitment, as a learned society, to develop, support, promote/publicise and encourage research. It aims to raise research awareness within the BACP membership, thus developing a research culture while contributing to the evidence base of counselling and psychotherapy. As a part of our remit to promote and commission research, we produce a series of systematic scoping reviews of the research evidence on a number of topics; we develop, produce, carry out and analyses internal surveys, looking at education, training and practice, with future regulation in mind; and we lobby and provide feedback to consultations from government bodies, funding organisations, teaching institutions, etc in order to enhance counselling and psychotherapy research. The Research Department encourages and supports research activity across all of its Divisions. This support is important to ensure that a research culture is developed across all counselling and psychotherapy sectors. In terms of research, BACP understands that many members of AIP may not have access to academic infrastructures that other sectors offer more readily, leading many aspiring researchers in this sector to fall at the first hurdle. BACP recognises that the individual practitioner setting poses certain issues for AIP members to feel motivated and equipped to engage in and undertake research. BACP is keen to support the development of research activity that is strategic and meets the needs of AIP membership. With an AIP representative at the regular Divisions Research Meeting this is a way in which the Research Department is working more closely with the division. A number of research activities are being developed to provide access to a wider supportive research network. For example, BACP is currently piloting a research surgery, whereby any BACP member who has a research dilemma or question can book into a research surgery slot to discuss these. We recognise that this could be of particular benefit to the independent practitioner; in fact an independent practitioner was the first to pilot this surgery. There is no expectation in booking a research surgery slot that you need to be undertaking a research project, it might you want to discuss how to use research evidence more fully in your practice or you have a burning research question you want to write a proposal for. We encourage any AIP to book a slot. Members of AIP can also join the BACP Research Network. This online directory of members lists their research interests and contact details, and is searchable, either by keyword, category or name and is accessible to network members only. We currently have over 320 members with a broad spectrum of interests numbering more than 450 separate entries. If you do not have the use of the Internet at home or work, then you can access the director via your library. BACP wants to develop an AIP research agenda, finding practical solutions for independent practitioners to have a stake in research activities. Whether this is developing the skills to assess the relevance of research to practice or whether it is to develop research projects related to an individual setting. With the support of the AIP committee, the Research Department is looking for innovative ways for independent practitioners to feel research is accessible, relevant and useful to them. To contact the Research Department please call 0870 443 5237 or email research@bacp.co.uk. Alternatively visit: www.bacp.co.uk/research Thanks to Kaye Richards of the BACP Research Department for this article. |
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