Checking Practice and Supervision Logs Before an Application

Logs are easier to review when entries are consistent and totals can be traced. Before including a practice or supervision record in an application, check the current requirements and the format expected by the receiving body. A spreadsheet that looks complete may still leave important questions unanswered.

Confirm what each column means

Identify the activity that each column is meant to record. Do not mix attendance, client-contact time, supervision and general professional activity under one heading. If the application distinguishes categories, your record needs to preserve those distinctions.

Ask how particular activities should be treated if the instructions are unclear. Group work, remote work, breaks in practice or different forms of supervision may need specific handling. Seek clarification before changing historical totals to make them fit an assumption.

Check dates and arithmetic

Look for duplicate entries, missing dates and totals that do not match the underlying rows. Use consistent units. A record that mixes decimal hours and hours-and-minutes can produce misleading totals even when every individual entry looks reasonable.

Check the time period covered by the record. A total may be accurate but include activity outside the period requested. Keep excluded activity separate so that the application total can be explained without losing your own history.

Review verification

Find out who is authorised to verify the record and what they are being asked to confirm. Obtain verification through the relevant process rather than treating a signature as a general endorsement of everything in the application.

Where several supervisors or settings are involved, make the periods clear. If a verifier is no longer available, contact the receiving body about acceptable alternatives. Do not sign on someone else's behalf or reconstruct confirmation from memory.

Reconcile the record with the form

Compare totals in the log with the totals entered on the application. Check that the names, dates and membership details used elsewhere are consistent. If a correction is needed, retain a clear version history so that you can explain the change.

The record should demonstrate the required activity without unnecessary client-identifying detail. Use the format specified for application evidence and ask about confidentiality if you are unsure how to describe an entry.

A final review checklist

• Activities are recorded in the correct categories.

• Dates and units are consistent.

• Totals can be traced to individual entries.

• The relevant period is clear.

• Verification is complete and appropriate.

• Figures agree with the application form.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use my own spreadsheet?

Check whether the application requires a particular template. A personal record may help you prepare without being the accepted submission format.

What should I do about an unexplained gap?

Review your records and ask for clarification where necessary. Explain genuine gaps accurately rather than filling them with estimated activity.

Consult Join ICPHAA, Standards & Ethics and Contact for route-specific guidance.