ACC Board Meeting Wednesday 8 June2016

Venue: Momus Boulevard

(Meeting commenced at 9.30 am)

In attendance:

Peter Barraclough, David Crabb, David Depledge, Sue Monkton-Rickett, Tony Ruddle, Phil Weare, (Skype: Teresa Onions)

Apologies:Chris Williams

The meeting opened with prayer time togetherby Tony based on Philippians 4:6-8

Staff matter confidential.
Minutes of Board meeting of 23rd May 2016
Minutes: accepted as accurate.
Any conflict of interest
No additional ones. DD declared that as a Fellow, he had a conflict of interest when discussing Fellowships
Network strategy
Open discussion about Network Forum, based upon five questions asked in TO and AG’s report. SMR asked that for 2017 we develop our promotional strategy and from this to define our budgetary spend. TO commented that there is a huge amount of work and the network champions will need to be engaged in this, and for a pattern of communication to be set up. DC said that the proposal of two network champions to the Board would give them a clear understanding of ACC’s direction of travel. SMR said that the proposal of Julia Everett as a network representative would strengthen the relationship with the networks. DD wondered if the network infrastructure needs to be rebuilt, so that there is a core group of people in each region. TO: as an example, Trevor Summerlin has contacted every member in Wales. In addition, TR had spoken to Trevor, who had agreed to be a conduit for communication between the Board and the network champions (perhaps with some Board support). TR suggested that Helen and Trevor contact the regions to see what can be done to strengthen the network committees. PB highlighted the different focuses of counselling and pastoral care networks. While pastoral care is focused on community, often through churches, counsellors are in a contained world, looking for training and professional development and acquiring and strengthening skills. TO said that the two types of network can be inter-dependent on one another, while promoting the work of ACC as a whole, and where pastoral carers are running out of their depth, then the counselling side has much to offer. This inter-dependence is a distinctive feature of ACC. PB said that ACC has a group of counsellors who learn their skills in a secular environment have much to offer in transforming the way that pastoral care is carried out in churches. This is a selling point.
TR asked for Board members, over the next two weeks, to give further thought to the question B (What does Board hope to see happening differently in the next 12 months in our Network which serves the new era of ACC/PCUK?). TO to circulate a summary of the Network Forum to the networks. TR and TO to contact Helen Vipan and Trevor and Dave Cooper to arrange a date for a Skype meeting on Monday afternoon or Tuesday morning to discuss the three of them taking responsibility for contacting the counselling networks.
The view was that the idea of network champions on the Board is essential.
TO would like to:
  • Strengthen and develop links between Regional Trainers to provide support of one another and enable the coordination of RPCC’s in particular
  • Identify and pilot five Pastoral Care Hubs to inspire the use of pastoral care resources
  • Enable the development of Pastoral Pals linking individual pastoral care members and affiliates to facilitate thought, prayer and sharing of ideas.
Board endorsed Marlene and Chris taking further action to facilitate these two initiatives.
The subject was discussed of getting the right balance between the HO/central functions and the networks. When committees and networks function well, they can do so organically, and by doing so, they promote what the fellowship and networking that ACC and PCUK are about.
Pastoral Care
Spring Harvest has confirmed that they wish us to run a pastoral stream at Minehead. We have been offered exhibition space. However, this clashes with Skegness week 1. TO and SMR to discuss the personnel needed for Minehead week 2. Spring Harvest will publicise the presence of ACC/PCUK on their website.
Regional training scheme is growing in number of trainers and the range of denominations that are interested in running the courses. TR asked TO to put forward a speculation about what might be required to manage the regional training programme for TO to be able to concentrate on other aspects of her role, including promotion of the work of PCUK.
Finance
Full accounts will go onto ACC website, though we’re waiting on independent examiners. These full accounts were due to be received by us for today’s meeting. Annual Review to go to all members with voting forms by end of week beginning 13 June. ACC made a £4,517 profit in 2015 compared to losses in previous years.
Management accounts, income of £86k was below the budget of £96k. There are 43 outstanding renewals in relation to 2016 and 30 in respect of 2015. SMR has personally invoiced 25 members of the ACC Register who have not paid for their renewal. SMR to draft an email to all members to be sent out in the near future. TR to discuss the situation of late renewals with PSA.
From the KPI report, we can see that we are not where we wanted to be in terms of numbers of counsellor and pastoral care membership.
The networks are all agreeing to pay £150 towards the work of the network champions.
Discussion on the potential for attracting more advertising from training organisations such as Moorlands and Spurgeon’s. There is the possibility of exploring a mutually useful deal with magazines like Christianity Today where we give them space and they give us space. There is the potential of offering advertising on the ACC website. PW to ask EA for figures from Google Analytics.
We have a surplus of £26. ACC gets more of its income during the first few months of the year, and has more expenses in the latter part of the year. ACC is surviving financially, but would like to thrive. A milestone would be to achieve again a small financial surplus for 2016.
The balance above the ACC financial contingency is in surplus by £352. If we can achieve many of our targets and get near to achieving all of them, we will make a surplus for 2016.
Operations and Communications
Agreed to publish the three letters Accord magazine has received on same-sex attraction. In addition, we would add the following:
”The Memorandum of Understanding on conversion therapy has been signed by a number of counselling organisations that hold an accredited register with the Professional Standards Authority. The MoU has been signed by a number of counselling organisations, including BACP, UKCP and BABCP, Relate and the NHS. To read the MoU on the ACC website, follow this link
Accord welcomes any letters and comments on articles. Readers should send them to We will try to publish them as we are able.”
Board members agreed to look at the client contract from ACCT that covers same-sex attraction, with a view to suggesting some wording that might be useful to counsellor members when counselling on this subject.
Board agreed to ask Chris Williams to put across the ACC perspective that if the MoU group wishes ACC to remain involved, the group need to make it possible for ACC to stay on board with the MoU.
Executive chair report
Agreed that the new near-miss pro forma (that includes anonymity and issues other than complaints) to be circulated to members.
Agreed to co-opt Julia Everett to the ACC Board starting today. This to be confirmed at the AGM.
AGM agenda decided.
Discussion on fellowship. These essentials were agreed:
  • Honorary Fellows: an accolade to non-members
  • Fellows: they must keep up the requirements for their level of membership
  • To be no more than five Fellows/Honorary Fellows a year
  • Wording to be revised to fulfil the requirements of the ACC Register. PW to get wording from DD to clarify the wording for the future.
Webcasts: feeling of the meeting was not to do this for ACC’s 2017 conference.
Director of Counselling report
Learning points from PSA:
  1. Indicative sanctions
  2. Restoration policy – any remaining points to be addressed from September.
  3. Involving the public and service users
  4. People who have lodged complaints could provide feedback
  5. Affiliates could provide anonymised data, perhaps the data they collect for their NHS grant
TR to raise issue with PSA that ACC’s service users are not members of the public, they are individual counsellors and affiliated organisations.
To demonstrate to PSA the public engagement of ACC, examples that could be collected include:
  • All of our events are open to members and non-members
  • How many phone calls do we get from our service users? Ask at the end, how have you found this phone call?
  • ACC staff spent two weeks at Spring Harvest that attracts 5,000 visitors
  • All of the communications we have sent out to the public.
Agreed that TR would discuss with Dawn Sherry how to manage the applications to the Register
Agreed we will audit the applications for the experience route at the end of the year on a percentage basis.
The question was raised that when a member renews, does the database overwrite the initial application? Would it be possible for Image Plus to create an archive area?
At 31st December 2017 ACC needs to ensure that it doesn’t apply any more stringent standards than any other register holder. Are there any other counselling bodies that have retained non-registrants in their counsellor membership?
It was agreed that we would tell members that if ACC has their application by 31st December 2017, we will still honour their application.
To ask H Taylor if she would be prepared to chair the Accreditation Committee for six months.
Student route
Any course that meets the Level 4 Diploma criteria will be considered suitable for this route.
The student route must be open in time for the autumn term. Important for us to circulate this to colleges. No pilot scheme is required. We need to find the contact names of course leaders at colleges from affiliates.
Audit
When we have completed the audit and there are no significant issues, we can apply to PSA to reduce the percentage that we have to audit.
TDG
In the near future, at least, the ACC accredited courses are coming up for approval and renewal.
If courses are approved by a university or awarding body, then they will be judged have equivalence with other courses that we accept. TR to ask Dawn about the reasons behind the equivalence rulings.
Networks
Communicate that we are happy to have their events on the web. PW to remind networks.
Page for affiliates courses on ACC website
Affiliates have to provide text. Layout is at our discretion. Word limit to be given to affiliates. To include a disclaimer that these courses are provided by outside bodies.
Network champions
Champions to concentrate on talking to people, rather than developing areas of the website.
Peter to consider revising the application forms for routes to the Register.
DD to look at Appendices A and B (Criteria for acceptance of courses and Criteria for equivalence).
Statement for stakeholders: network reps, committees, TDG, Accreditation committee. Then all members.
Communications programme on Thursday 9 June
  1. TR to contact TDG and Accreditation Committee from his chair address.
  2. At the same time, TR to email all staff and all Board, including Julia Everett
  3. TR to phone counselling network champions and TO to contact the pastoral care network champions
  4. TR to inform Network Committee contacts
  5. TR to inform PSA via email to Christine Braithwaite
  6. After this has been carried out, PW to organise the sending out of an email to all members except Amanda. Email to besigned by Tony.
DD to provide support to Dawn in her role as Registrar, and when TR or SMR is on holiday. If it’s urgent, to contact any of the three. If it’s a query that doesn’t need a phone conversation, the best way to contact DD is email.
Advertisement of role
September/October we need to plan in detail our application for the replacement of Director of Counselling and the responsibility for the ACC accredited register and its renewal with PSA.
Options were discussed, including splitting the role between two people, combining it with a chief executive role, replacing the role as it is, or modifying it. An option discussed was to look at the gaps we have as an organisation and whether the role could fill any areas that Board members could not fulfil.
An away day to discuss the role and associated subjects is planned in Leeds on 27th July, with preparatory work in advance.
RAP Committee
A replacement needs to be found for Charan, who stood down from the committee.
Date of next meetings: 27 July (special meeting in Leeds) and 14 September at Momus Boulevard