Governance
The Register was established to create and maintain professional ethics and standards that prioritise the health and wellbeing of clients, service users and members of the the public, and to protect them from harm or injury in engagement with Equine Facilitated Interactions.
The Register not only strives to set standards of practice, but also act to protect public interest by providing a means by which service users and clients can safely raise concerns or complaints about services being offered or provided.
The Register is a public record of practitioners who deliver Equine Facilitated Interactions and in so doing meet or exceed our recommended minimum quality standards. Choosing an Accredited Practitioner (PSA) from the Register offers services users and clients the assurance that their practitioners meet expected standards of proficiency and ethical practice.
The Accredited Practitioner Register Advisory Board
The overall governance of the Register, and oversight of its day to day responsibilities, and obligations as an accredited register is the responsibility of the Accredited Practitioner Register Advisory Board. This includes the day-to-day management, providing operational direction over the registration process, and the Register’s ethical and professional standards.
The full terms of reference for the Advisory Board can be viewed here.
The Advisory Board has two operational sub-committees in place: The Education and Training Committee and the Professional Conduct Review Committee (PCRC).
Advisory Board and Sub-Committee Membership
The Advisory Board shall be made up of a minimum of five members. Jennifer Geach and Graeme Green will represent the Athena® Herd Foundation with the remaining membership being made up of lay members.
Current membership of the Advisory Board can be viewed here.
Lay members will be appointed based on appropriate experience, backgrounds and skills in the context of Equine Facilitated Interactions, as well as specific professional practice supporting the primary areas of wellbeing, mental health, counselling and psychotherapeutic engagements.
Appointment to the operational sub-committees will be completed in the same manner.
Application for Lay Membership
Prospective applications for membership of the Advisory Board are invited from market practitioners and will be considered based upon their individual competencies, skills, and experience, as and when positions become available, either from board growth or retiring membership.
Each appointment shall be for a period of two years, although members may be re-appointed after this time for a further period of two years.
The Register is currently seeking initial lay members to support the post-accreditation growth and development. In seeking lay membership for the Advisory Board the Register is committed to engaging diverse and inclusive representations from the Equine Facilitated Interactions community.
Specific roles will be published online as arising, however any practitioner who has an interest being considered for board involvement should email register@athenaherd.org for more information.
Return to the Register’s home page.