The core objective of the Accredited Practitioner Register™ (PSA) is to protect the public and promote confidence in the therapeutic and educational benefits of Animal and Equine Assisted Services and Horticultural/Nature-based therapies.
Upon successful registration, practitioners gain several professional advantages that enhance their practice and credibility:
Registration on a PSA accredited register provides clients, service users, and the public with the confidence that you, as a practitioner, have signed up to robust professional and ethical codes.
To be eligible to become an Accredited Practitioner (PSA) and be admitted to the Register, you must satisfy all the following conditions:
The application is submitted via an application form.
In addition to providing relevant personal details, you will be required to submit various supporting documents which cover your operating policies, relevant qualifications, and existing professional memberships. We strongly recommend that you check the full requirements list and gather all necessary information and documentation together before starting the application process to ensure a smooth submission. For more information, please read our comprehensive Registration Policy.
To proceed, download and complete the application form here (AAHEP accredited practitioner register application.docx attached – please leave it in the WORD format so that it can be downloaded) and email it to [email protected].
As an Accredited Practitioner (PSA), you will be formally bound by the requirements of registration, which are laid out in the Declaration of Compliance section of the application form. This binding commitment includes adherence to:
You must have read and confirmed your commitment to all these frameworks as part of your initial membership application, and you must reaffirm this commitment upon each annual renewal.
Furthermore, any amendments to these commitments will be notified to all practitioners by email; practitioners will be expected to familiarise themselves with any changes and align their practice or service appropriately.
In addition to these frameworks, your application must include evidence of supporting qualifications, appropriate current insurance, and a commitment to ongoing supervision and CPD, as well as maintaining up-to-date records of these activities.
Upon successful registration, members will be provided with their own personalised, annual "Accredited Practitioner (PSA)" logo. This logo signifies current membership for that year.
Example logos and comprehensive guidance for the correct use of this logo are covered in detail within the AAHEP Brand Protection Policy and Guidance document.
The Register is specifically for practitioners of Animal and Equine Assisted Services and Horticultural/Nature-based therapy. However, it will recognise other professional practices, therapies, and modalities against an individual practitioner's registration (for example, Counselling or Occupational Therapy).
For this recognition to be granted, practitioners must provide copies of all supporting qualifications and proof of current membership of an appropriate accredited register for that specific modality.
For practitioners offering what are generally referred to as adjunctive therapies (for example, Reiki or homeopathy), or providing coaching or other personal/professional development services, you must ensure that in all promotional materials and client communication, your AAHEP registration is clearly presented as distinct from, and unrelated to, these other practices.
Practitioners who, for any reason, have allowed their registration to lapse can reapply at any time. The precise process of reapplication is dependent on the amount of time that has elapsed since the registration expired and the recency or contemporariness of the practitioner's professional learning and qualifications.
Practitioners who might have been removed from the register can also apply to have their membership restored. For more information on reapplication or restoration, please read our policy.
The Register carries out a formal audit on an annual basis to ensure practitioner compliance with all terms of registration. This will be undertaken by selecting a random sample of practitioners from the Register. Any practitioner selected for the audit will need to make available all requested documentation to verify their compliance. You can find out more about our audit process here.
Invoicing and Admission: Membership will be invoiced only upon the satisfactory completion of the application process. Final admission to the Register will be subject to the prompt receipt of this fee.
Membership Year: The annual membership term runs for 12 months, from the 1st of March each year. Those accepted onto the Register after the 1st of March will pay a pro rata membership fee for the remainder of the membership year.
Terms & Conditions: The AAHEP Terms and Conditions shall cover your application to, and subsequent membership of, the Register.
