Standing Orders

These Standing Orders are the regulations of the Society, determined by the Board of Directors under Article 84 of the Articles of Association.

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Standing Orders of Play Therapy International – The International Society for Play and Creative Arts Therapies Limited

Where the term ‘therapy’ is used, it refers to work done by individual and organisational practitioner members in the field of therapeutic play, play therapy, filial play, creative arts therapies, child counselling and child psychotherapy.

1. The Society has provision for two main categories of members:

  • Shareholding
  • Practitioner

2. Shareholding Membership

2.1 Any person or organisation entitled to acquire shares under the Companies Acts 1985 to 1989 may apply to purchase shares in the Society at the current price fixed by the Board of Directors. Applicants should be aware that the Society is a not for profit organisation and that no dividends will be paid.

2.2 All shareholding members may attend and speak at a General Meeting. Individual Members and Organisation Members have one vote per fully paid up share.

3. Practitioner Membership

3.1 General

3.1.1 All practitioner members are reminded that, on applying for admission to membership or on renewal of membership, they sign an undertaking that if admitted as Full Members, and as long as they are practising members, they will observe the, regulations for the time being in force and that they will be bound by the Society’s Ethical Framework for Good Practice in the therapies, be subject to the Professional Conduct Procedure, use principles of clinical governance as recommended by the Society and fulfil the Society’s requirements for continuous professional development (CPD) therein for the time being in force.

3.1.2 Practitioner membership includes individuals and organisations (including organisations affiliated to the Society) . The Board of Directors may from time to time:

  • determine, add to, amend, revoke or otherwise close such classes and sub-classes of membership as are deemed necessary
  • determine the movement of members from one class or sub-class of membership to another set the criteria for entry to each class or sub-class of membership
  • set entrance fees, subscriptions and other fees or payments to be made by members

3.2 Grades of Membership

3.2.1 The Society has three grades of individual practitioner membership:

(i) The Associate Member grade shall be open to anyone working with children or interested in therapeutic play, play therapy, creative arts therapies, child counselling, child psychotherapy. Also to retired or non-practising therapists.

(ii) The Full Member grade shall be open to professional therapists who have been awarded a qualification, recognised or accredited by the Society at least at Diploma level (at stage 3 of the Professional Structure Model (PSM) Training Model). and is engaged in the practice, supervision, training or management of the therapies (as defined in the Memorandum of Association), full or part time, voluntary or remunerated; Evidence of CPD is required for continuing membership. Full Members may also be designated Play Therapist (CPT), Supervisor of Child Psychotherapists and Play Therapists (CPT-S), or Professor of Child Psychotherapy and Play Therapy (CPT-P) according to their training and experience

(iii) The Trainee/StudentMembership Grade shall be open to those undertaking a training course as relevant to the therapies (as defined in the Memorandum of Association) and recognised by the Society

3.2.2 Corporate Practitioner Membership

Corporate Practitioner Membership shall be open to organisations which accept the Society’s Ethical Framework for Good Practice in working therapeutically with children and the Professional Conduct Procedure therein and such other membership conditions as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine. The term Corporate shall include the staff, volunteers, members and committee members. Corporate membership shall be open to organisations which:

  • offer the therapies to children; and/or
  • offer direct services to practitioners of the therapies; and/or
  • offer training in the therapies; and/or
  • have personnel who use the therapies in the course of their work and/or
  • engage in other activities such as research that are relevant to the objects of the Society.

An organisation that is a Corporate Practitioner Member may nominate a number of individual persons employed by or associated with the organisation for individual practitioner membership at grades appropriate to their level of qualifications, skills and experience. The number of nominated persons accepted will be determined by the Corporate Practitioner Membership fees as decided by the Board of Directors from time to time. 3.3 Registration Fess. The Board of Directors will set registration fees and any changes to which shall apply from 1st January each year. Fees shall be payable to the Society at its central office.

4. Affiliations

4.1 The Board of Directors shall have the power in its sole discretion to grant affiliation status to individuals or organisations not being members of the Society and not resident in the United Kingdom upon such terms and conditions as it from time to time shall determine.

4.2 Holders of affiliation status may be members of the Society and may be entitled to the rights of members at the discretion of the Board of Directors (See also Affiliation to PTI)

5. Professional Conduct

5.1 The Board of Directors shall from time to time make regulations concerning the method by which any question of alleged breach of Professional Conduct by a member or associated action is to be brought before the Association.

5.2 The Board of Directors shall from time to time determine the procedures to be followed for hearing such alleged breaches, including appeals, and for the subsequent communication of findings and any other matters it deems to be relevant.

5.3 The Board of Directors shall from time to time determine the range of sanctions which may be applied in cases where alleged breaches are found to be proven.

5.4 It shall be for every member or for any person to bring to the attention of the Chief Executive any facts or matters indicating that a member may have become liable to disciplinary action. In any such case the Chief Executive shall lay the facts and matters before the relevant body appointed by the Board of Directors if she/he is of the opinion that the matter ought to be investigated.

6. Accreditation

6.1 The Board of Directors shall from time to time determine the criteria and approve the procedures for the conduct of the Society’s systems for accreditation

6.2 The Board of Directors may, as required, establish: working group(s) to advise it on the operation, development, amendment, revocation or closure of schemes devised for the accreditation of individuals or organisations.

6.3 The Board of Directors may from time to time establish reciprocal arrangements and/or equivalent routes to accreditation/registration with other cognate professional bodies as it shall determine.

6.4 The Board of Directors shall have the right for good and sufficient reason to terminate the accreditation/registration/affiliation of any member provided that the member in question, or a representative of the member, shall have the right to be heard by the Board of Directors under any procedure set up for this purpose by the Board of Directors.

7. Professional Structure Model

7.1 The Board of Directors shall from time to time determine the design, content, operation, development, amendment and dissemination of the Professional Structure Model including the competency framework for practitioners of the therapies

7.2 The Board of Directors may, as required, establish: working group(s) to advise it on the design, content, operation, development, amendment and dissemination of the Professional Structure Model and competency framework. This work may be delegated by the Board of Directors to an affiliated organisation.

7.3 The Board of Directors may from time to time establish reciprocal arrangements and/or equivalent uses of the Professional Structure Model and competency framework with other cognate professional bodies as it shall determine.

8 General Meetings

8.1 Notice of the Annual General Meeting shall be sent by the Secretary to shareholding members not less than twenty-one days before the date of the meeting.

8.2 Resolutions to be considered at the Annual General Meeting shall be submitted to the Secretary in writing by a date to be fixed by her/him not less than twenty eight days and not more than fifty six days before the date of the meeting, and shall be sent to shareholding members not less than fourteen days before the meeting.

8.3 Resolutions, other than those proposed by the Board of Directors, shall be submitted by the Advisory Board. Amendments to resolutions shall be accepted in exceptional circumstances at the discretion of the Chair after consultation with the proposer and seconder of the resolution.

8.4 Practitioner members may at any time submit in writing suggestions or proposals to the Advisory Board that may require a resolution to be passed at a General Meeting. It is the responsibility of the Advisory Board to evaluate the proposal to determine if it should be submitted to the Board of Directors for approval.

8.5 Voting shall be by a show of voting cards bearing the number of eligible votes, determined by the number of shares held. A simple majority shall be sufficient to pass a resolution.

8.6 In the conduct of the meeting the decision of the Chair in any matter not covered by these Standing Orders shall be final.

9. Divisions

9.1 Divisions may be formed within the Society to represent special interests of practitioner members in the therapies. The objects of Divisions shall be in accordance with the objects of the Society.

9.2 Practitioner Members of a Division shall be members of the Society but membership of a Division is optional for members of the Society. Members of the Society may apply to join as many Divisions as they wish. A Division shall consist of at least 20 members.

9.3 Corporate Members of the Society can nominate a single representative to apply to be a member of a Division.

9.4 The formation of a Division shall be provisionally when the Division’s Terms of Reference have been approved by the Board of Directors. The Division shall be formally constituted by the decision of a General Meeting of the Society. Amendments to the Terms of Reference shall be submitted to the Board of Directors for approval before coming into force.

9.5 A Division of the Society shall be named according to its broad function.

9.6 Each Division shall notify the Chief Executive of the names of its Officers upon their election or appointment.

9.7 Each Division shall submit a written report of its activities to the Board of Directors at least once a year.

9.8 Each Division shall be financially self supporting.

9.9 Each Division shall determine its own membership fee, any changes to which shall apply from 1 October each year. Divisional fees shall be paid to the Society at its central office and shall be remitted to Divisional accounts on at least a quarterly basis.

9.10 Should a Divisional Executive Committee wish to dissolve the Division, it must first consult the Board of Directors. If there is still a wish within the Division for it to be dissolved, an assenting vote of not less than two thirds of its total practitioner members is required. Dissolution is subject to ratification by a majority vote of the next General Meeting of the Society.

9.11 The Board of Directors shall have the power to propose the dissolution of a Division when it deems this to be in the best interests of the Society. Such a proposal to dissolve must first be passed by two thirds of the Board of Directors present and voting. The Division in question shall be advised in writing of the reason for the proposed action. The Division shall have until the next General Meeting of the Society (but in no case less than nine months) to effect remedial measures or otherwise bring itself into compliance with the Memorandum and Articles of Society and Standing Orders of the Society.

9.12 In the event of a Division being dissolved, money in the Division’s account will revert to the Society’s general funds.

10. Local Groups Affiliated to the Society

10.1 The Board of Directors may recognise autonomous Local Groups of therapists or those interested in promoting the value of the therapies, as a Local Group affiliated to the Society. The group may adopt its own name but shall in all instances identify itself as affiliated to the Society. Normally an independent, autonomous organisation, affiliated to the Society, would be formed rather than a Local Group. However there is provision for the formation of local groups in countries where an independent organisation is not viable.

10.2 Local Groups shall have at least ten members of the Society and shall not have membership whereby more than one third are non-Society members. All members of the Executive Committee of the Local Group shall be members of the Society.

10.3 The objects and operation of the Local Group shall be in accord with the Memorandum and Articles of Society and Standing Orders of the Society.

10.4 Membership of a Local Group shall be open to any members of the Society living or working within the geographical area covered by the Local Group. Corporate Members of the Society shall be able to nominate one representative to be a member having the same status as an Individual Member.

10.5 Each Local Group shall notify the Chief Executive of the Society, at least annually, of the names of its Officers, its membership and its activities during the year.

10.6 Each Local Group shall be financially self-supporting and determine and collect its own membership subscriptions. In the event of dissolution, each Local Group shall determine how to disperse any accumulated funds.

10.7 A Local Group must not use for its own purposes the Society’s company number, or logo on its headed notepaper. A Local Group may apply to the Board of Directors for permission to use the Society logo for Society related activities. A Local Group where all its members belong to the Society may apply to use the Society logo when promoting its activities.

10.8 Should a Local Group wish to discontinue its relationship with the Society this should be notified in writing to the Secretary of the Society giving nine months notice.

10.9 The Board of Directors shall have the power to withdraw the affiliated status of a Local Group when this is deemed to be in the interests of the Society. The Local Group shall be advised in writing of the proposed action and shall have no less than nine months in which to effect remedial measures.

11 Register of Play Therapists

11.1 A register of Full Practitioner Members will be maintained the Society. This includes members of Affiliated organisations

11.2 The name of the register shall be The International Register of Play Therapists or such other as the Board of Directors of the Society shall from time to time approve.

11.3 The Register will be organised in such a way as the Board of Directors shall from time to time approve.

11.4 All publications, notices and correspondence and relevant associated documentation from the Internatioanl Register of Play Therapists will display the Register logo and the Society logo, company number, and registered office as required by Company law.

11.5 The Terms of Reference, and any amendment thereto of the International Register of Play Therapists shall be submitted to the Board of Directors for approval before coming into force.

11.6 Registered Play Therapists will have attained a standard of training, competence and experience in the therapies defined by the Board of Directors.

11.7 Amendments to the criteria for Registration shall be approved by a system of consultation with relevant cognate professional bodies and others and be agreed by the Board of Directors before coming into force.