concluded that the risk to therapists and family members/ partners requires further consideration at a wider level.
4. Attention is given to forging links to promote family therapy. In the past year Melissa Adams and Reenee Singh, as representatives of AFT, are contact fi gures for the Children and Young Person’s Mental Health Coalition (CYPMHC).
5. We have raised the value of a promotional video. Reenee Singh, chief executive, is to raise with the UKCP marketing manager.
6. Similarly, we are aiming to forge greater links with UKCP. Rory Worthington, chair of the College for Family, Couple and Systemic Therapy (CFCST), a committee within UKCP. Given UKCP is a complex organisation, he has been invited to our next meeting to further our understanding and in particular the position of, and concerns for, the systemic modality. We are interested in increasing AFT representation with a member from our committee.
7. An article in Context that considered the current decreased use and value of recording sessions led to a review discussion. Two committee members, Gill Goodwillie and Tracey Woodcock, undertook to further the review and concluded that although it is less used in some clinics for economic reasons, recording sessions continues in other clinics and is alive and well in training contexts. With much appreciation, they undertook to write a paper: Eff ectiveness of Mirrors in Therapy.
8. Concern has been raised that we (systemic family therapy) were not consulted in the production by Mental Health Foundation of “Relationships in the 21st Century”. Advice was sought from the Tavistock and Relate. It was thought that promotion of psychoanalytic family therapy is increasing, whilst the systemic model is being marginalised.
9. The above (8.) led to the conclusion that the systemic model is not being foregrounded and we have asked the AFT board to consider whether the title of our association should be changed to Association of Systemic Psychotherapy.
10. Lorraine Davies-Smith made contact with the initiators of a SCOPE draft framework for counselling and psychotherapy, a collaborative project between the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, The British Psychoanalytic Council, and UKCP, to ensure that the systemic modality is represented to agree evidence-based competencies.
11. Aspens, the committee for independent practice held their annual conference in January with its main presentation on trauma.
12. The PAC has contributed to a pending board meeting regarding membership categories. Lorraine Davies-Smith submitted a detailed paper on behalf of the committee with respect to our position re systemic practice as trained up to intermediate level which is due to be reviewed at the July board meeting.
13. We have reviewed examples of job descriptions and our national assessor practice, including considering expanding the national assessor service geographically.
Over the next 12 months we will: 1. Continue to contribute to the AFT Training Review. 2. Continue to monitor professional standards and other issues for those in public services and independent practice. 3. Continue to off er consultation and advice for queries.
Context 164, August 2019
4. Continue to provide national assessors for recruitment and promote an increase of these nationally.
5. Welcome new members. Those interested can request a telephone discussion with the chair, or a current member, without obligation. They will then be asked to follow up with a formal request and CV.
Dr Melissa Juliet Adams, Professional aff airs committee chair
Ethics commitee report
Chair: Barbara Warner (acting) Members of committee: Chris Burroughes, Angus Crutchfi eld, Anni Hilton, Nigel Jacobs, Sylvia Metzer, Melissa Smith, Barbara Warner Retiring members during the year: Cherrith Marshall, Gillian Stewart-McKay
Review of activities over the past 12 months Over the year we have met by telephone conference on four
occasions. We conducted a lunchtime meeting at the annual conference with a focus on the ethical aspects of managing sexual attraction between therapist and client. Although this was only attended by a small number of members it stimulated a good discussion of the complexities involved. We have continued to respond to queries from members about ethical issues which they have been confronted with in their work. We have also continued to revise the Code of Ethics and Practice and responded swiftly to a member raising a particular issue about how the code worded a paragraph on cultural sensitivity. The wording of the code has been amended and we have thanked the member concerned. We are always pleased to hear from members and can be contacted via the AFT offi ce. We provided an article in Context, written by Angus Crutchfi eld, on clients recording therapy sessions to stimulate members thinking and discussion about the issue. We wish to thank Cherrith Marshall for writing a letter to Context responding to this piece as her fi nal contribution to the work of the committee following her long and valuable membership. We continue to contribute to thinking at board level within AFT and I attended a board meeting along with other committee chairs in January. Unfortunately our chairperson, Anni Hilton, has had to step back
from the committee due to family commitments and committee members are taking on this responsibility for two meetings each.
Plans for the next 12 months Over the next 12 months we will continue with the activities
described above and hope to provide a day or half-day workshop for members of AFT committees on ethics, possibly using what we have learned from dealing with the queries we have received from members. We will also be working closely with the diversity, equal
opportunities and inclusion committee and aim to have a joint face-to-face meeting in the near future. We wish to add our appreciation for the work of Sue and Paul
Kennedy over the many years they have worked with AFT and to wish them a very happy and active retirement. We welcome Renee Singh as our CEO and Suzanne O’Connor as
executive assistant in the AFT offi ce. We are already enjoying their input and support to the committee.
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Reports from the chairs of AFT committees
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