The APS continuing professional development (CPD) program aims to promote the maintenance and improvement of quality psychological services offered by its members, in a manner which demonstrates the accountability of APS psychologists to ourselves, our clients, our professional colleagues and the community. The CPD program sets out to formally recognise the CPD activities that APS members participate in as part of their ethical requirement.  

Along with all members of the APS, College members are obliged to demonstrate that they have met the requirements of the APS CPD program. This page provides a summary of the main aspects of the CPD program, and highlights the requirements for CoSP members.  

A number of changes to the APS CPD program system have been made to align with the new mandatory CPD requirements of the Psychology Board of Australia (PBA) under national registration. The changes to the APS CPD will ensure that CoSEP members can undertake and log the required CPD under the APS system to also satisfy the new PBA requirements. At the time of registration renewal with the PBA each November from 2011, members will be required to indicate that they have met the CPD requirements, and, if audited, APS records can be used as part of supporting evidence to the PBA. CoSP members who meet the APS requirements will not have to do anything further to fulfil the PBA's mandatory CPD requirements. 

Although full details are not yet available, some of the major features of the CPD system are as follows: 

CPD cycles

The CPD system runs in annual cycles. The first CPD cycle commenced on 1 July 2010 and will finish on 30 November 2011. The second cycle will run from 1 December 2011 to 30 November 2012, and so on.  

CPD requirements

CoSEP members are required to complete a total of 30 hours of CPD activities per annual cycle. Of these 30 hours, at least 10 hours must be peer consultation, and at least 16 hours must be relevant to sport and exercise psychology. (Note that the peer consultation hours can be included in the 16 hours required in sport and exercise psychology, if the consultation is relevant to the field).  

For CoSEP members who also hold membership of another College and/or two area of practice endorsements, a minimum of 15 hours of CPD must be relevant to each of the two areas of specialist practice.  Peer consultation includes individual supervision or peer supervision focused on the member’s own practice. The PBA have indicated that psychologists undertaking peer or group supervision can only count that portion addressing their own practice. For example, if two members meet for an hour to discuss their practice, and divide their time evenly between each member’s practice, each can only log 30 minutes from the session. 

It is recommended by the PBA that a minimum of 10 hours be ‘active' CPD (active training through activities designed to enhance and test learning). This is a recommendation to members, and not a requirement. ‘Active’ events do not accrue 'double hours', as they did in the last APS cycle.  

CPD documentation

The PBA has introduced a number of requirements for the documentation of CPD activities. This documentation must be submitted to the PBA if a member is audited. 

Learning plan
The PBA requires that all psychologists must develop an annual learning plan to identify areas for improvement of skills and knowledge relevant to each individual's practice.   

CPD log and statement of relevance

All psychologists are required to maintain a log of events attended, as in previous years. However, the PBA now requires that all psychologists provide a statement of the relevance of each event for their own development.  

Peer consultation log and statement of relevance

The PBA requires all psychologists to keep a log of the mandated peer consultation activities, and to provide a statement of relevance for each hour of peer consultation.

Further details of the documentation required by the PBA will be available to members in coming weeks. 

Online logging of CPD

CoSEP members will be able to log their CPD through the online logging system, which is currently being redesigned to accommodate the recent changes. This will ensure that most of the information required by the PBA will be recorded and available if audited. (Note that receipts, certificate of attendance and other information may still need to be kept). Until online logging is available, members are advised to keep records of all CPD undertaken and evidence supporting it.

Futher information

Further information on the CPD program is contained on the APS website, at www.psychology.org.au/cpd.