Endorsement

Area of practice endorsement is a mechanism under the National Law to identify practitioners within a profession who have undertaken additional qualifications. Area of practice endorsement (AoPE) identifies psychologists who have completed an approved postgraduate qualification (or a postgraduate qualification that is substantially equivalent or based on similar competencies to an approved qualification), and supervised training in an area of practice.

To check if a registered psychologist has an endorsement, review their registration details on the online Register of Practitioners.

The Ministerial Council is responsible for approving areas of practice for endorsement and their relevant protected titles, for each health profession. Psychologists with general registration can be endorsed in one or more of the following approved areas of practice:

• clinical neuropsychology
• clinical psychology
• community psychology
• counselling psychology
• educational and developmental psychology
• forensic psychology
• health psychology
• organisational psychology, and
• sport and exercise psychology.

The National Law protects titles associated with the nine approved areas of practice. Unlawful use of protected titles can lead to heavy fines and/or disciplinary action. Therefore, the public, employers and others can have confidence that psychologists using these protected titles have completed approved qualifications and supervised training in that area of practice.

Area of practice endorsement under the National Law does not restrict scope of practice for the psychology profession. The only practice limitations for psychologists relate to their knowledge and skills and their obligation to practice within the boundaries of their own scope of competence.

Area of practice endorsement is optional (a psychologist can practice without an endorsement), and around half of psychologists with general registration do not hold an endorsement.

Area of practice endorsement is different from specialist registration. To learn more about why there is no specialist registration in psychology, see the FAQ: Difference between endorsement and specialist registration.

To find out more about what is required to obtain an area of practice endorsement, see Pathways to endorsement. Detailed information about AoPE requirements are set out in the Area of practice endorsement registration standard and supporting information is provided in the Guidelines for area of practice endorsement.