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British Association of Play Therapists Constitution
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BAPT CONSTITUTION
The name of the association is “The British Association of Play Therapists” (BAPT)
A Aims and Purposes
The British Association of Play Therapists (BAPT) aims to:
Promote and develop standards of training and practice;
Promote study and research in the field and practice of Play Therapy;
Encourage the sharing of information, experience and skills;
Maintain the highest levels of professional conduct by members of all classes who are practising Play Therapy;
Endeavour to protect the public against harmful conduct by members of all classes who are practising Play Therapy;
Provide a national and regional resource for its members;
Do anything which may assist the attainment of the BAPT's objectives.
B Objectives
1. To stimulate an active interest in the development of Play Therapy.
2. To provide an understanding and awareness of Play Therapy.
3. To provide a support network for Play Therapists.
4. To provide information on specialised training courses.
5. To maintain a membership list and a directory of full members who elect for inclusion.
6. To compile a list of members approved to offer supervision by the Board of Directors (Board) of the BAPT.
7. To offer a forum for discussion of professional issues.
8. To distribute a magazine regularly.
9. To organize conferences and promote training events on issues relating to Play Therapy.
10. To hold an Annual General Meeting.
11. To maintain liaison with other professional groups involved in working with children.
12. To provide an ethical framework and a Code of Practice.
13. To provide a Complaints Procedure that governs the professional conduct and practice of members of all classes who are practising Play Therapy;
14.To provide criteria and guidelines for the validation of training courses.
C Membership
1. Decisions concerning membership are made by the Board.
2. The Board may request reasonable information from an applicant before granting membership.
3. Full membership is available to named individuals who hold a Play Therapy qualification recognized by the BAPT, who are in current practice and having regular supervision, who are in or have recently had personal therapy; and who have had a satisfactory police check.
4. Full members (including full retiring members) are the only class of members entitled to attend and vote at General Meetings. (All other class of members can attend at such meetings, but not vote.)
5. It is open to organisations, and to any person training, working or interested in the field who may not have a recognised Play Therapy qualification to become an Associate of the BAPT.
6. Full retiring members: Full members retiring from practice who wish to retain an interest in the BAPT may do so via the retired member category, paying the same fee as student members, and retain full voting rights.
7. Student membership is open at a reduced fee to individuals who are following a course of study leading to qualifying status on a BAPT validated course.
8. Student members are entitled to elect a student representative onto the Board at the AGM. This is the only matter on which student members are entitled to vote.
9. Members may appeal against a decision to deny them full membership. If their appeal fails, the decision of the Board is final.
10. A person's membership shall cease if they are in arrears with their subscriptions for six months.
11. The Board shall have the right to terminate the membership, by notice in writing, of any person who shall have acted in a way which the Board considers detrimental to the interests or well being of the BAPT, its membership or client group. No such notice shall be given unless a resolution by the Board is passed at a specially convened meeting to consider the case and at which the member whose conduct is in question shall have been given a proper opportunity of attending and being heard.
12. Membership of the BAPT, full or otherwise, does not confer professional status upon a member.
13. The rights of a member shall be personal to that member, shall not be transferable and shall cease on the member's death.
14. All classes of members and Associates are entitled to attend any General Meeting.
D Members' Entitlements
Members of all classes and Associates may be entitled, at the discretion of the Board to the following benefits:-
1. Free subscription to the Play Therapy magazine which will be published regularly.
2. Membership Pack (including BAPT Guide to Play Therapy).
3. Access to Good Practice Frameworks and procedures.
4. Reduced fees for study days and conferences.
5. Information on relevant training courses and publications.
6. Nomination to stand for election onto Sub Committees
7. Other benefits which the Board may determine.
E Other Entitlements of Full Members
1. Nomination onto the Board.
2. An individual vote at the Annual General Meeting and any other Extraordinary General Meetings.
3. The right to call an Extraordinary General Meeting by written request, supported by the signatures of at least 10 full, giving at least 21 days notice in writing to the Chairperson and stating the business to be discussed.
4. Those who have been approved by the Board as BAPT approved supervisors, may be included on the BAPT's list of supervisors.
5. Free entry into the BAPT Register of qualified Play Therapists. This information would be passed on to agencies and individuals who request it.
6. Photo Identity Membership Card.
7. Access to the Members' Area in the BAPT website.
8. Other benefits which the Board may determine.
F Membership Fees
1. The membership year is from October 1st to September 30th of the following year.
2. Membership for a full year is set at a fee to be reviewed annually by the Board and ratified at the Annual General Meeting. New applications within the second six months are charged at half price.
3. A membership card with a photo and personal number will be issued to full members only each year, on payment of the annual subscription and evidence of an updated police check every three years.
G Board of Directors
1. The Board shall manage all the business, purposes, and affairs of the BAPT, and may exercise all such powers as laid down in this constitution, subject to such regulations as may be prescribed by the BAPT in a General Meeting. No regulations made by the BAPT in a General Meeting shall invalidate any prior act of the Board which would have been valid if such regulations had not been made.
2. With the exception of the appointment of an ex officio member of the Board, a Director of the Board shall be a full member of the BAPT. Vacancies on the Board may be filled at the Annual General Meeting. Nominations for membership of the Board must be received in writing by the Administrative Secretary before the Annual General Meeting, and proposed and seconded at that meeting by two Full members. The written nomination must be accompanied by the written consent of the nominee to such nomination.
3. The Board may at any time appoint a Director to fill a casual vacancy. Their appointment shall come to an end at the next Annual General Meeting but they shall be eligible for election at that meeting.
4. A student representative, who shall be a full member of the BAPT, shall be elected onto the Board at the AGM for a period of two years. The student representative may stand for re-election but shall not hold office for more than five years in total.
5. The Board shall consist of a minimum of 8 and a maximum of 14 nationally elected Directors;
6. With the exception of the student representative, Directors shall be elected for three years commencing at the AGM at which they are elected. After the three year term has elapsed they will be able to stand for re-election at the AGM for a further three year term, at the end of which they may be elected onto the Board for a further term of one year. No elected Director will serve on the Board for more than seven consecutive years from the date of their first election.
7. The Board shall appoint from among its Directors the following officers:
i)Chairperson;
ii)Vice-chairperson;
iii)Membership Secretary;
iv)Treasurer;
v)Such officers as it from time to time decides.
No person shall be eligible for the office of Chairperson unless at the time of nomination the candidate is a Director on the Board, and has been so since the last AGM or a minimum of nine months, whichever is the longer.
8. The appointments of Chairperson and Vice-chairperson of the Board shall be subject to election by the voting membership at the next AGM after their appointment. Such election shall last for a term of three years. After the three year term has elapsed they will be able to stand for re-election at the AGM but will not hold office for more than five years in total.
9. If the Chairperson between the date of their appointment by the Board and their
election at the next AGM (or following their election as Chairperson) resigns, retires, or dies the Vice-chairperson will become the Chairperson until election by the voting members at the next AGM. The Board will appoint another of its members to be Vice-chairperson until the next AGM where they can stand for election.
10. The posts of editor/s of the BAPT magazine and the editor of the BAPT website
are designated ex-officio posts.
11. The Board shall be entitled to appoint and to remove:
i)Ex-officio: The editor /s of the BAPT magazine;
The editor of the BAPT website
(The Board shall seek to fill these posts from among the membership of the BAPT, and failing this may, at its discretion, look outside the membership)
Ex-officio post holders may attend Board meetings and contribute to discussions but will not be entitled to vote on issues.
ii)Up to two co-opted members, whether members of the BAPT or not, to serve on the Board or a sub-committee. Such persons may take part in discussions and vote on matters before the meeting of any such committee or sub-committee, excepting those affecting membership of the BAPT or the election of officers. Co-opted members of the Board may not be appointed as officers of BAPT whilst they are co-opted.
iii)Professional Advisors.
12. The Board may, at its discretion, declare an officer's appointment to the Board
terminated, and a vacancy to have arisen, if the officer fails to attend more than 2 consecutive Board meetings in any one year.
H Proceedings of the Board of Directors
1. The Board will meet on a regular basis at least 4 times a year.
2. Five elected Directors shall be deemed a quorum.
3. Questions arising at any meeting shall be determined by a majority of votes. In the event of an equality of votes the Chairperson shall have the casting vote.
4. If the Chairperson is not present within 15 minutes of the time appointed for the meeting, then the vice-chairperson shall be the chairperson of the meeting, failing which the members present may choose one of their number to be chairperson of the meeting.
5. Any five Directors of the Board may request a meeting of the Board, and the Chairperson of the BAPT upon receiving written request shall summon a meeting of the Board within 30 days.
6. The Board shall cause minutes to be made of :
a)all appointments of officers made by the Board;
b)all the names of the Directors of the Board present at a meeting of the Board or of any subcommittee;
c)all resolutions and proceedings of all meetings of the BAPT and of the Board or of any subcommittee.
7. The Board may delegate any of its powers to subcommittees, as it may determine.
I The Complaints Committee
1. i) The Board shall nominate from among the full membership of BAPT a Chairperson and Vice-chairperson of the Complaints Committee, who shall be persons of suitable standing and experience; such appointments to be ratified by the membership at the next AGM;
ii) The Chair of the Complaints Committee shall not be a member of the Board; the Board shall have one representative on the Complaints Committee
who may at the discretion of the Board be vice-chairperson of the Complaints Committee; in such case the appointment as Vice-chair shall be subject to two- yearly ratification at the AGM. Exceptionally the Board representative may be the vice-chair of the Board where this is deemed to further the work or development of the Complaints Committee.
iii) The Chair and Vice‑chair persons of the Complaints Committee will select a minimum of four other members to serve on the Complaints Committee;
iv) The Complaints Committee shall meet at reasonable intervals as needed and shall keep minutes of their proceedings and decisions;
2. The Complaints Committee is authorised to:
i) Formulate rules and procedures regarding complaints for the adoption by the BAPT membership;
ii) Investigate allegations of breaches of the Ethical Basis for Good Practice in Play Therapy;
iii) Resolve allegations of breaches of the Ethical Basis for Good Practice in Play Therapy and/or recommend such action as is necessary to adhere to the rules and procedures of the Complaints Procedure;
iv) Adopt rules and procedures governing the conduct of all matters within its jurisdiction;
iv) Take other action as is consistent with the BAPT Constitution, Ethical Basis for Good Practice in Play Therapy and Complaints Procedures as is necessary and appropriate to achieving the aims, purposes and objectives of The BAPT.
3. The Board shall have the authority to amend the Complaints Procedure as they deem necessary for the working of the Committee; any and all such changes to be put to the Membership at the next AGM for ratification.
J Sub Committees
1. Sub committees shall consist of at least one member of the Board and other members as required.
2. Sub committees will meet regularly and report back to the Board.
3. With the exception of the students' sub-committee, sub-committee members shall be elected at AGM by the voting membership for a period of three years, at which time they may retire from the sub-committee or stand for re-election.
4. The Board may appoint a member of BAPT at any time to a sub-committee when a vacancy occurs. Their appointment shall come to an end at the next AGM, but they shall be eligible to stand for election to the sub-committee at the AGM.
5. The Student Sub-Committee:
i)The students' sub-committee shall consist of at least one representative from each of the BAPT accredited training courses (not each year group) as far as is reasonably possible. With the exception of the Chairperson sub-committee members may be nominated and voted separately by the students of each course. Failing this, sub-committee members shall be nominated and elected by student members at the AGM.
ii)The name of the elected student shall be passed to the Chairperson of BAPT for their appointment to the sub-committee to be formally recognised by the Board.
iii)Student members of the student sub-committee shall stand down at the next AGM after they cease to be students.
K General Meetings
1. There will be an Annual General Meeting at such time and place as the Board shall determine, and shall specify the meeting as such in the notices calling it. Such notices to be posted in the BAPT's Magazine and on the website.
2. The Annual General Meeting will include :
i)Reports from the Board and sub-committees.
ii)Audited accounts will be presented by the Treasurer.
iii)Election of Directors to the Board by full members.
iv)Election of members to sub-committees
3. All General Meetings other than the AGM shall be called Extraordinary General Meetings.
4. The Board may, whenever it thinks fit, convene an Extraordinary General Meeting and the Board shall convene an Extraordinary General Meeting upon receiving a written request signed by not less than 10 full members of the BAPT. The written request must state the objects of the meeting and be deposited at the address of the administrative secretary.
5. Twenty-eight days notice at least of every General Meeting must be given to the Auditors, to be sent to their registered address, and to the full and retiring members of the BAPT, which members will be notified by post where there is insufficient time to advertise the meeting through the BAPT's Magazine. Such notification may also be posted on the BAPT website.
6. The accidental omission to give notice of a General Meeting to or the non‑receipt of such notice by any person entitled to receive the same shall not invalidate the proceedings at the meeting.
7. In order for a General Meeting to proceed a quorum of 10 full members should be present. No business shall be transacted at any General Meeting unless a quorum shall be present at the commencement of business.
8. If within fifteen minutes from the time appointed for a meeting a quorum is not present, the meeting shall be dissolved. It may be reconvened within twenty‑eight days at a time and place notified to the members with a minimum of seven days notice. If at such adjourned meeting a quorum is not present within fifteen minutes from the time appointed for the meeting the full members present shall be a quorum.
9. The Chairperson, if any, shall preside as Chairperson at every General Meeting of the BAPT but if there is no such Chairperson or if at any meeting s/he is not present or shall be unwilling to preside the Vice‑Chairperson shall preside, failing whom the members shall choose someone of their number to preside as Chairperson at that meeting.
10. The Chairperson may (with the consent of the meeting,) adjourn the meeting from time to time and from place to place, but no business shall be transacted at any adjourned meeting other than business left unfinished at the meeting from which the adjournment took place.
11. Any full and retiring member who has not paid every subscription and other sum (if any) which shall be due and payable to the BAPT in respect of his or her membership, shall not be entitled to vote on any question or by proxy or as a proxy for another member at any General Meeting.
12. Prior to the start of a General Meeting, upon production of their membership card, members entitled to vote will be issued with a red card for the purpose. A yellow card will be issued for proxy votes.
13. At any General Meeting a resolution put to the meeting shall be decided on a show of cards unless a secret ballot or a postal ballot is demanded by the Chairperson or by at least five full members. Unless a secret or postal ballot is demanded, the Chairperson may declare that a resolution has on a show of cards been carried or lost, and an entry to that effect in the minutes shall be conclusive evidence of the fact without proof of the number or proportion of votes recorded in favour of or against the resolution.
14. If a secret or postal ballot is demanded, it shall take place forthwith in such a manner as the Chairperson directs.
15. If a poll is demanded, it shall be taken at such time not before fourteen days and in three calendar months and in such manner as the Chairperson directs. The result of the secret ballot or postal poll shall be deemed to be the resolution of the meeting.
16. In case of an equality of votes whether on a show of cards or on a secret ballot or a poll the Chairperson of the meeting at which the show of cards takes place or at which the poll is demanded shall be entitled to a casting vote.
17. On a show of cards and on a secret ballot every member present in person or by proxy shall have one vote.
18. At an AGM or Extraordinary General Meeting votes may be given or by proxy. No person shall be appointed to a proxy who is not a member of the BAPT. The instrument appointing a proxy shall be in the following form, or as near thereto as circumstances will admit:
'The British Association of Play Therapists
I,
of
'a member of the British Association of Play Therapists
'hereby appoint,
of
'and failing whom,
of
'to vote for me and on my behalf at the
'Annual or Extraordinary or Adjourned (as the case may be) General Meeting of the Association to be held on the ... day of ... and at every adjournment thereof
'As witness to my hand this day of ... 20 ...
Signed
Witnessed
The instrument appointing a proxy shall be delivered to the Administrative Secretary not less than forty‑eight hours before the time appointed for holding the meeting or adjourned meeting at which the person named as proxy proposes to vote, and in default the instrument of proxy shall not be treated as valid. The instrument appointing a proxy shall be deemed to confer authority to demand or join in demanding a poll. The proxy will be issued with a yellow card for the purpose of voting.
19. Excepting amendments to the Constitution, a resolution to be put to the members of a General Meeting shall have a proposer and seconder, both of whom must be members of the BAPT. Such resolutions shall be deemed to be carried by a vote of the full members on a simple majority.
L Alterations to the Constitution
This Constitution may be altered by a resolution in a General Meeting. It shall have a proposer and a seconder, both of whom must be full members of the BAPT. It must be passed by a majority of no less than two thirds vote by the Full members present, in person or by proxy. Changes to the Constitution by resolution must be proposed in writing prior to the General Meeting so as to be included on the agenda.
All resolutions passed by a General Meeting as in (18) and (K) above shall become the policy of the BAPT until otherwise decided by the membership in a subsequent General Meeting.
Once submitted a resolution to amend or to add to the Constitution may not itself be amended or added to.
M Service of Notices
Any notice or document may be served by the BAPT on any member, either personally or in the magazine of the BAPT, or by post to the registered address of the member as appearing in the Register of Members.
N Receipts and Expenditure
The funds of the BAPT, including all donations, contributions and bequests will be paid into an account operated by the Board. It will be in the name of the BAPT and at such a bank as the Board shall from time to time decide. All cheques drawn must be signed by one of two members of the Board.
The funds belonging to the BAPT shall be used only in the furthering of its objectives. This shall not prevent payment in good faith of reasonable and proper remuneration to a member of the Board and the sub-committees of out-of-pocket expenses.
No member of the Board shall be appointed to any salaried or fee-paying office of the BAPT.
The Board may at its discretion recognise a particular contribution that is outside the ordinary work of the Association or the Board by payment of such honoraria or fee as shall be deemed appropriate by the Board (for example, teaching or lectures undertaken at the request of the Board to further the aims of the BAPT.)
No member of the BAPT shall be entitled to vote upon any resolution providing for or relating to his / her salary or fees.
The Treasurer shall keep proper records of the BAPT's financial affairs and shall report regularly to the Board of Directors.
O Indemnity
Members of the Board of Directors shall be entitled to be indemnified out of the BAPT's assets against all expenses and liabilities incurred by them in or in relation to the execution of their office. This indemnity shall not extend to liabilities arising from wilful and individual fraud, wrongdoing, or wrongful omission on the part of the Director who is sought to be made liable; nor shall it extend to offences against children and violence against the person including domestic violence.
BAPT is the trading name of
the British Association of Play Therapists Ltd,
a company registered in England & Wales – No 5477406
Registered address: 47 Sedlescombe Road South, St Leonards -on-Sea, East Sussex TN38 0TB
Revised July 2006