APR - Registration

Our purpose and objectives

The core objective of the Accredited Practitioner Register™ (PSA) is to protect the public and promote confidence in the therapeutic and educational benefits of Equine Assisted Services.

We achieve this through four key commitments:

• Protecting the public – Setting and upholding robust professional and ethical standards to protect clients from harm.
• Building Confidence – Promoting and maintaining trust in the field of Equine Facilitated Interactions.
• Defining Standards – Providing a clear and comprehensive framework for safe, effective, and ethical practice.
• Ensuring Compliance – Requiring ongoing adherence to professional and ethical standards by all registered practitioners.

Benefits of Registration

Upon successful registration, practitioners gain several professional advantages that enhance their practice and credibility:

• The right to use the official designator letters APUK after your name.
• Official use of the protected title "Accredited Practitioner (PSA)".
• A formal certificate of registration and a personalised annual logo which contains the Professional Standards Authority (PSA) quality-mark that you can use to promote your practice.
• A professional listing on the public-facing Accredited Practitioner Register™.

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.

Registration Requirements

To be eligible to become an Accredited Practitioner (PSA) and be admitted to the Register, you must satisfy all the following conditions:

• You must be resident and currently practising within the United Kingdom.
• You must have successfully completed an appropriate qualification, or a combination of qualifications, that are in line with the Register's Standards of Education and Training, or alternatively, have been awarded a Certificate of Proficiency by the Register.
• You must currently be in practice, or have been in practice within the last two years.
• You must agree to, and be able to demonstrate compliance with, the professional commitments set out by the Athena Herd Foundation.

How to Apply

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 and email it to register@athenaherd.org.

Your Professional Commitments and Conditions

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:

• The Ethical Basis for Good Practice in Equine Assisted Services
• The Framework of Professional Standards
• The defined levels of Continued Professional Development (CPD)
• The Duty of Candour
• The Framework for the Ethical Treatment of Horses

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.

Use of the Accreditation Logo

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 Athena® Herd Foundation Brand Protection Policy and Guidance document.

Other Modalities and Practices

The Register is specifically for practitioners of Equine Assisted Services. 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 Athena Herd Foundation registration is clearly presented as distinct from, and unrelated to, these other practices.

Lapsed Registration and Reapplication

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.

Reapplication or Restoration of Membership

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.

Annual Compliance Audit

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.

Fees and Membership Structure

Application Fee: There is a one-time application fee of £75.

Annual Membership Fee: The individual annual membership is £125 per annum.

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 Athena® Herd Foundation Terms and Conditions shall cover your application to, and subsequent membership of, the Register.