BPS Division of Forensic Psychology Practice Guidelines 2017
Definition
The UK professional standards document for Chartered Forensic Psychologists, structured around six competency domains: knowledge/skills/values, assessment, formulation, intervention, evaluation, and communication.
- Issued by
- BPS Division of Forensic Psychology
- Year
- 2017
- Applies to
- Chartered Forensic Psychologists, UK
- Competency domains
- Six: knowledge/skills/values, assessment, formulation, intervention, evaluation, communication
Common questions
Why does the 2017 document use six separate competency domains?+
Splitting practice into knowledge, assessment, formulation, intervention, evaluation and communication lets accreditation and supervision assess each stage of forensic psychological work separately, since a practitioner can be strong in assessment but weak in written communication, for example.
How do these guidelines compare with the APA framework mentioned alongside them?+
Both set professional standards for forensic psychologists, but the BPS guidelines are structured around the six UK competency domains while the APA's ethical and specialty guidelines follow their own separate structure, reflecting the distinct accreditation systems of the UK and the US.
Related terms
- APA Specialty Guidelines for Forensic Psychology (2013)
- The eleven-section APA document setting professional and ethical standards for forensic psychological practice in the US, covering responsibilities, competence, diligence, relationships, fees,...
- Contingency Fee Prohibition
- The APA Specialty Guidelines Section 5 prohibition on forensic psychologists accepting fees contingent on the outcome of proceedings, because such arrangements create...
- Cross-Cultural Competence
- The requirement under APA and BPS DFP guidelines that forensic psychologists be aware of cultural and linguistic factors affecting assessment validity, and...
- HCPC
- Health and Care Professions Council; the UK statutory regulator that holds the protected title 'Forensic Psychologist' under the Health Professions Order 2001...
- Mental Healthcare Act 2017
- Indian legislation governing mental health services and the rights of persons with mental illness; Section 23 protects confidentiality of mental health information...
- Pre-Assessment Notification
- The APA Specialty Guidelines Section 6 requirement to inform the person being assessed, before evaluation begins, of the purpose, the requesting party,...
- Rehabilitation Council of India
- Indian statutory body regulating clinical psychology (and related professions); requires M.Phil. (Clinical Psychology) as the minimum registration qualification; no distinct forensic psychology...
- Smith V. Jones (1999)
- Canadian Supreme Court decision establishing that solicitor-client privilege and professional confidentiality can be overridden where there is a serious, clear, and imminent...
- Tarasoff V. Regents of the University of California (1976)
- California Supreme Court decision establishing a psychotherapist's duty to protect identifiable third parties from a patient's communicated serious threats of violence; adopted...
- W V. Edgell (1990)
- England and Wales Court of Appeal decision permitting a psychiatrist to disclose a confined patient's dangerous propensities to the Home Secretary where...