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Complaints and Concerns

ABCAP takes all concerns about listed therapists seriously. This page explains what you can expect when you raise a concern with us, what we will and will not do, and where else you can get help.

What ABCAP can and cannot do

ABCAP is a membership directory, not a regulatory body. When we receive a concern about a listed therapist, we will review it and decide whether to take action on that therapist’s listing — for example, by placing it on hold or removing it from the directory. ABCAP will not:
  • Investigate the facts of what happened between you and a therapist.
  • make any finding of misconduct or wrongdoing.
  • Act as a mediator between you and a therapist.
  • Share the outcome of any review with you in detail (membership matters are confidential).
If you need independent investigation or a formal ruling, the right place to go is the therapist’s own professional body (such as BACP, UKCP, NCS, or NCPS). You can usually find this information on the therapist’s listing or by asking them directly. For serious concerns including abuse or criminal conduct, please contact the police or your local authority safeguarding team.

How to raise a concern

Please contact us with the following information:
  • Your name and contact email address.
  • The name or profile link of the ABCAP member your concern relates to.
  • A brief description of your concern.
  • Any supporting information you wish to share (optional).
We will acknowledge your concern within 5 business days.

What happens next

Once we receive your concern, we will review it to understand what type of concern it is. Concerns broadly fall into four categories:
  • Inaccurate listing information — for example, out-of-date qualifications or contact details. We will contact the member and ask them to correct this.
  • Professional conduct concern — behaviour that may breach our Code of Ethics or Membership Terms. We will notify the member, place their listing on hold, and give them an opportunity to respond. We will then decide what action, if any, to take on their listing.
  • Out of scope — concerns about therapy outcomes, fee disputes, or personal grievances. ABCAP is not the right body to handle these. We will let you know and signpost you to the appropriate place.
  • Serious harm or safeguarding concern — see below.
We aim to complete our review within 20 working days of notifying the member. We will let you know when our review is concluded. We are not able to share details of any action taken, as membership matters are confidential.

Safeguarding and serious concerns

If your concern involves abuse, criminal conduct, or an immediate risk to someone’s safety, please do not wait for ABCAP to act. Contact:
  • Police — 999 (emergency) or 101 (non-emergency)
  • Local authority safeguarding team — search for your local council’s adult or children’s safeguarding team
  • NSPCC — 0808 800 5000 (concerns about children)
We will suspend the therapist’s listing immediately on receipt of a serious concern and cooperate with any statutory investigation if required. For more information on safeguarding, including a full list of contacts, see our Safeguarding page.

Appeals (for ABCAP members)

If you are an ABCAP member and your listing has been suspended or removed, you may appeal the decision on procedural grounds within 14 days of receiving our notification. Appeals must be submitted in writing to info@abcap.org.uk. An appeal may only challenge whether ABCAP followed its own procedure — it is not a reconsideration of the merits of the decision. The outcome of any appeal is final.

Further information

For more information about our membership standards and what we expect of listed therapists, please see our Policies page and Terms and Conditions. If you have a question about this procedure, please contact us.