Post Accreditation

Ongoing Requirements of Accreditation

1. Payment of Annual General Membership/Annual Accreditation Fee
2. Ongoing Supervision/Professional Development/Professional Indemnity Insurance

Supervision Policy NALAG (VIC) has developed a comprehensive policy on Supervision. NALAG (VIC) standards require that Accredited Practitioners undertake regular professional supervision on the basis of a minimum of 1 hour of supervision per month. However, it is recommended that in the first five years of practice a minimum of 1-hour supervision for every 10 hours of practice is undertaken . A copy of the full policy is available on request. Practitioners are required to verify hours of supervision on their annual accreditation review form.

Continuing Professional Development Accredited Practitioners are required to undertake a minimum of 10 hours of continuing professional development per year. NALAG (VIC) quarterly newsletter lists recognised loss and grief continuing professional development, seminars, workshops and courses. Any professional development course with a loss and grief focus is considered CPD for NALAG purposes . A copy of NALAG (VIC) Continuing Professional Development guidelines is available on request. Accredited practitioners are required to verify hours of continuing professional development on their annual accreditation review form.

Insurance NALAG VIC has entered into an arrangement to provide its members who are counsellors with access to professional indemnity insurance through CGU via Marshall Insurance Brokers at a cost of $170.00 per annum. To be eligible for this insurance offer a person must be a Clinical Member of NALAG (a NALAG Accredited Loss and Grief Counsellor) or a Professional Member of NALAG (a counsellor who is registered with NALAG) with an income from counselling of less than $100,000 per annum.

The main benefits of this Professional Indemnity Insurance are that it provides protection in the event that the policy holder is sued for giving ‘harmful advice' or in the event of a member causing some property damage or injury to a third party.

In brief the policy covers the member for.

• Combined Policy for Professional Indemnity and Public Liability
• Professional Indemnity Limit of $2,000,000 per member limited to $6,000,000 in the aggregate
• Public Liability Limit of $10,000,000 per member limited to $30,000,000 in the aggregate
• Coverage includes Breach of Professional Duty, Good Samaritan Acts, Trade Practices Act, Fraud and Dishonesty.

The policy covers participants in the scheme for the NALAG membership year from

1 November 2007 to 31 October 2008 . There are no pro rata payments available under the scheme. This arrangement has assisted in keeping the insurance premium low.

Annual Accreditaton Declaration Accredited Practitioners are required to sign a declaration on their annual renewal invoice to the effect that they have observed accreditation requirements of supervision, CPD and insurance. The practitioner will be notified of any issues arising from that annual declaration.

Referral System Accredited practitioners will receive a practitioner referral form post accreditation. Practitioners who are available for referral need to return this form to the NALAG office.

nb successful applicants are sent Post Accreditation Information outlining ongoing requirements of accreditation, including Supervision, Continuing Professional Education and Referral Systems.