ICPHAA Accreditation Requirements Explained: Training, Supervised Hours, Supervision and CPD

5 days ago

4 min read

This guide sets out what ICPHAA requires for each membership category, as confirmed by the Board of Directors on 25 October 2026. It is written for practitioners deciding which category to apply for, for students planning their route to accreditation, and for members preparing for annual renewal. Use it with the Pathway to Accreditation page and the application forms in the member portal.

Requirements that apply to every accredited category

Ethics: a signed commitment to the ICPHAA Code of Ethics and Professional Practice.
Professional indemnity insurance: current cover of at least €1.5 million per claim for the work described.
Garda vetting: current vetting where the work involves children or vulnerable adults.
References: two professional references, one from a current or recent supervisor.
Supervision: an agreed supervision arrangement with an appropriately qualified supervisor.
Annual renewal: renewal each year confirming insurance, supervision, CPD and fitness to practise.

Requirements by category

Category	Training	Supervised practice	Supervision	CPD each year
Student	Confirmation of enrolment on a recognised programme	Only within a supervised training placement agreed by the provider	Through the placement	Not required during training
Pre-Accredited	Final award certificate and transcript from core training	Building hours towards accreditation; up to two years to progress	At least 1 hour for every 8 client hours	At least 30 hours
Accredited Counsellor	Counselling or psychotherapy qualification at QQI Level 7 or higher (or equivalent), at least two years part-time, with a supervised placement; at least 50 hours of personal therapy	At least 450 hours of supervised client work after core training, within the last three years	At least 1 hour for every 10 client hours, and no less than 12 hours a year	At least 30 hours
Accredited Addiction Counsellor	Accredited Counsellor standard plus at least 100 hours of specialist addiction training	300 hours in total, at least 150 with clients presenting with substance or behavioural addiction	As Accredited Counsellor, with a supervisor experienced in addiction work	At least 20 hours, at least 5 addiction-related
Accredited Addiction Support Worker	Addiction studies qualification at QQI Level 6 or higher, at least 100 hours	At least 100 hours of supervised addiction support work within the last two years	At least 2 hours a month of supervision or structured reflective line management	At least 15 hours
Accredited Trauma Support Worker	Trauma-informed practice training at QQI Level 6 or higher, at least 80 hours	At least 100 hours of supervised trauma-informed support within the last two years	At least 2 hours a month, with a supervisor experienced in trauma-informed work	At least 20 hours, at least 5 trauma-related
Accredited Bereavement Support Worker	Bereavement support training of at least 60 hours	At least 75 hours of supervised bereavement support within the last two years	At least 2 hours a month, individually or in a group	At least 15 hours
Allied Healthcare	Recognised qualification in the discipline and current statutory registration where a regulator exists	Currently practising, or within two years of practice	Within the member's own regulator's code	At least 25 hours, or as required by the regulator

Student and Pre-Accredited membership do not permit independent practice described as accredited. Allied Healthcare membership recognises professional affiliation across 24 disciplines; it is not accreditation as a counsellor or psychotherapist.

Evidence you will be asked for

Applications are reviewed on documents, so gather these before you start: your award certificate and transcript, a client-hours log (with an addiction breakdown for the addiction categories), a signed supervisor report, your insurance schedule showing your name, cover and expiry, two signed professional reference forms, your ethics declaration, Garda vetting disclosure or employer confirmation where applicable, and a dated CPD log with certificates.

Membership fees

Annual subscriptions at the time of writing are €85 for Student Membership, €185 for Pre-Accredited Membership, €225 for Accredited Membership and €260 for Accredited Member & Supervisor. Current fees and what each includes are on the membership plans page.

How the review works

Applications are submitted through the member portal and reviewed by the Accreditation Department. Where something is missing you will be asked for it rather than refused. Approved decisions are recorded, a certificate with a QR verification code is issued, and the member's entry on the public verification page is created. Members who wish to appear in the public directory can publish their listing from the portal; listing is optional.

Frequently asked questions

My qualification is at QQI Level 6. Can I become an Accredited Counsellor?

The Accredited Counsellor category requires Level 7 or higher (or equivalent). Level 6 qualifications in addiction studies or trauma-informed practice meet the training requirement for the Addiction Support Worker and Trauma Support Worker categories, which are distinct roles.

Do hours completed during training count towards the 450?

No. The 450 hours are supervised client hours completed after core training, within the last three years.

Can I apply as Pre-Accredited while I build hours?

Yes. Pre-Accredited membership is designed for exactly that, with supervision of at least one hour per eight client hours and up to two years to progress to an accredited category.

What happens at renewal?

Each year you confirm your insurance, supervision arrangement, CPD and fitness to practise. Keep dated logs and certificates through the year so renewal is straightforward.

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Information correct at 8 November 2026. This article is general guidance from ICPHAA and is not legal advice. For the statutory position, check coru.ie.