Written question asked by Stephen Timms (Labour) on Monday, 11 March 2024, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 14 March 2024 (named day). It was answered by Maria Caulfield (Conservative) on Thursday, 14 March 2024 on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care.

Family Conciliation Services

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to prevent unregulated psychologists from giving reunification therapy to parents and children.

Answer: The Ministry of Justice and the HM Courts and Tribunals Service set any criteria that a professional must satisfy, in order to be a psychological expert, providing evidence in a family court setting. The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) is the independent regulator responsible for regulating practitioner psychologists. The HCPC does not regulate practitioner psychologists according to job role, although its legislation protects nine designated psychologist professional titles in law.

Secondary information