The Psychology Board of Australia has published the updated competencies for general registration. These do not come into effect until 1 December 2025 but have been published now, so psychologists have plenty of time to review and prioritise CPD in any areas they might need to upskill. Some competencies are new or receive more focus than they have before. This includes:
- Cultural safety and health equity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People and those from diverse groups
- Digital competency
- Reflective practice and self-care
AAPi was one of many stakeholders consulted during the revision of the competencies and will continue to work with the Psychology Board as the profession moves towards adopting these so that psychologists are adequately supported. We understand that some members would be anxious about changes to the competencies. We want to stress to members that we will be doing everything we can to support them to be prepared and will be conducting many learning opportunities for members to engage in.
Note that all psychologists in Australia (who are not provisionally registered) have general registration, regardless of whether they have endorsement. These competencies apply to all psychologists. We want to assure our members that the new competencies will not change the work they can do or restrict psychologists in any way. They are designed to guide the education of psychologists in the future, ensuring that all Australians can be confident that their chosen psychologist meets these competencies.
In the release announcing the new competencies, Psychology Board Chair Ms Rachel Phillips said the Board partnered closely with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander psychologists and psychology groups on developing competencies for culturally safe and trauma-informed care, and they hope that these competencies will assist to close the gap and ensure that psychologists have the required competencies to deliver culturally safe, accessible and responsive care, free of racism.
The Psychology Board website has many fact sheets and resources, including a self-assessment.
AAPi already has many training sessions available in our CPD library to assist with the revised competencies, including a webinar recording with the Psychology Board Chair and AAPi CSO Amanda Curran discussing the competencies. We will develop more training and resources aligned with the revised competencies. As always, we are here to support you and learn together as a community.