Psychologists who were registered with a state or territory registration board on the day prior to commencement of the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme (17 October 2010 in Western Australia and 30 June 2010 in all other states and territories) automatically transitioned to the National Register of Practitioners on participation day (i.e. on 18 October 2010 or 1 July 2010) and were granted the registration type that is equivalent to their registration type with the previous state or territory board.
Registration Types
The new psychology registration types are:
- general registration
- provisional registration
- non-practising registration
There is no specialist registration type for psychologists in Australia, however practitioners who have an advanced qualification and advanced supervised practice in a specific area of practice may obtain endorsement of General registration for that area of practice.
Endorsements
Endorsement of a psychologist’s General registration is a legal mechanism under the National Law through which particular groups of registrants, who have an additional qualification and advanced supervised practice recognised by the Board can be identified to the public, employers, and anyone else accessing the public register.
The area of practice endorsements for psychology are:
- clinical psychology
- counselling psychology
- forensic psychology
- clinical neuropsychology
- organisational psychology
- sport and exercise psychology
- educational and developmental psychology
- health psychology
- community psychology.
Endorsement of a scope of practice did not exist in Australia before 1 July 2010 however practitioners who, prior to commencement of the national scheme held a type of registration or endorsement that was substantially equivalent to an area of practice endorsement transitioned to General registration with an area of practice endorsement.
Converting to new Registration types
The Psychology Registration Transition Plan shows how registration types in place in each State and Territory before the commencement of the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme converted to the new registration types and endorsements under the National Law after 1 July 2010.
Transition provisions
Area of practice endorsements
Specialist titles
Board-approved supervisors
Board approved supervisors have until 30 June 2013 to meet new requirements for supervisors. Refer to the Fact sheet for supervisors for full details.
4+2 internships
Provisional psychologists that are completing a supervision program that was approved by a State or Territory Board before 30 June 2010 (or 17 October 2010 in Western Australia) and which they were part way through completing when National Registration and Accreditation commenced in that State, are permitted to complete the program under the terms and conditions approved by the previous board. Under these transition provisions the provisional psychologist must complete the supervision program and apply for General registration by 30 June 2013. The relevant forms and guidelines are available here.