United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy

The United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) is the United Kingdom's umbrella body and regulator for all forms of psychotherapy.

It is also the UK's National Awarding Organisation for the European Certificate for Psychotherapy (ECP).

Mission
The UKCP's website states that:
 * "The UKCP's purpose is to promote the art and science of psychotherapy for the public benefit; to promote research and education in psychotherapy and disseminate the results of any such research; and to promote (or assist in the promotion, preservation and protection of public health by encouraging) high standards of training and practice in psychotherapy and the wider provision of psychotherapy for the public benefit."

Regulatory role
In common with UK government practice, which applies to other professions such as law, medicine and accountancy, the profession is allowed to self-regulate provided strict standards are kept.

The UKCP's regulatory role in the mental health field overall is shared with the British Psychological Society (BPS) who regulate the profession of psychology. 

History
The UKCP was initially founded in the 1980s as the "United Kingdom Standing Conference for Psychotherapy", following the Foster Report (1971) and the Sieghart Report (1978) which recommended regulation of the psychotherapy field, and was formally inaugurated as a Council in 1993.