How can you become an infertility counsellor?
In the main we would recommend that anyone interested in working in infertility counselling should gain at least two years general counselling experience. That means working as a practising, qualified, accredited counsellor. There is no formal infertility counselling qualification. Infertility counselling is like counselling people with cancer or bereavement counselling, it is really heavy end work. Also, infertility counselling is a specialism, the only one recognised by law and working within a statutory framework; it is therefore quite complicated and demanding working within a licensed treatment centre, that is a clinic licensed by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority [HFEA]. Two years in general counselling will enable you to get your ‘feet under the table’ and used to working with a professional code of ethics, before learning about the fertility or assisted conception field.
Counselling Placements
Counselling in a Licensed Centre (licensed by the HFEA) is complicated, so there are very few placements on offer. You can approach your local clinics (found on the HFEA website, www.hfea.gov.uk), but most of them prefer to have someone counselling two years post qualification. All counselling staff (as for any staff who work in a Licensed Clinic) have to be put on the Clinic’s License for the HFEA.
It is important that if you do manage to get a placement in a Licensed Centre that you think carefully about who will supervise you, as it can be helpful to get a qualified supervisor with some broad knowledge of infertility issues and not just general counselling experience or personal knowledge.
Permanent Jobs
There are about 125 Licensed Clinics in the UK providing investigations and treatment for people with fertility issues. Each Clinic has to have an Independent infertility counsellor as a member of staff as part of their License requirements. Most work within the Clinic setting, some work in their own premises. Many work part-time, some on a sessional fee-paid basis. Finding a permanent job is NOT easy. Sometimes they are advertised in BACP’s Therapy Today, sometimes they are advertised locally or through the NHS job site. The BICA Journal (Journal of Fertility Counselling) may have jobs advertised, or you can look on the BICA website. If you are considering trying to get a job as an infertility counsellor it could be helpful if you have experience working in relevant settings, such as Relate or Marriage Care, Pregnancy Advice, Cruse, Bereavement Centres, as well as other independent counselling agencies. All experience is valuable.
Qualifications for working in a licensed clinic
Clinics need qualified and experienced counsellors to work in this very demanding area of work. You should have a Diploma in Counselling or a higher qualification. Please refer to the HFEA website and the Code of Practice for a list of qualifications. BICA has introduced its own accreditation scheme http://www.bica.net/bica-counsellor-accreditation-scheme for all infertility counsellors, which became mandatory from 2009. the HFEA Code of Practice now expects all infertility counsellors to accredited by BICA or be working towards such accreditation. This is an accreditation scheme that you can participate in once you are working within the Clinic setting. Please see reference elsewhere on the BICA website.
Attending BICA training courses
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The trainers aim to specify for whom each training event is suitable. Some of the courses are just for infertility counsellors, whereas some other courses are for any member of staff working in a Licensed setting. Please contact by email the main trainer (whose name always given with the course) for further information.
For more information contact info@bica.net