Membership Criteria

Spiritual Care Australia (SCA) is an association of spiritual care practitioners and those with a keen interest in the development of spiritual care, within the context of contemporary Australia in all its diversity. SCA recognises that all people have spiritual needs that at times require sensitive, respectful care from skilled practitioners. SCA is concerned with ensuring best practice in spiritual care.

Membership of SCA is open to all persons and organisations who have an interest in spiritual care, including pastoral care and chaplaincy. The following information is provided to assist those who wish to become a member of SCA or upgrade their membership.

There are several membership levels which are designed to reflect levels of education, practice and engagement in spiritual care:

Application for each level requires proof of your experience, training and education, as outlined here 

Member (Waged) is open to all who work in spiritual care and is appropriate for practitioners working under the supervision of a coordinator in an employed (waged) capacity and is appropriate for practitioners who work at the ‘member’ level as indicated in the SCA Standards of Practice (2014).

Criteria: Applicants for this level of membership must demonstrate and provide evidence of:

• Completion of a training program in supervised pastoral practice or equivalent
• Evidence of studies in faith development/religion/theology and/or a recognised philosophy of human thought
• Evidence of studies in how people establish spiritual meaning and purpose through their faith, philosophy, religion and theology.

Fee: $135.00 per annum

Member (Unwaged) level is open to all who work in spiritual care and is appropriate for practitioners working under the supervision of a coordinator in a voluntary (un-waged) capacity and is appropriate for practitioners who work at the ‘member’ level as indicated in the SCA Standards of Practice (2014).

Criteria: Applicants for this level of membership must demonstrate and provide evidence of:

• Completion of a training program in supervised pastoral practice or equivalent
• Evidence of studies in faith development/religion/theology and/or a recognised philosophy of human thought
• Evidence of studies in how people establish spiritual meaning and purpose through their faith, philosophy, religion and theology.

Fee: $70.00 per annum

Certified level is open to all who work in spiritual care and is the basic requirement for those who work professionally in this field.
This level is appropriate for practitioners who work at the ‘Certified’ level as indicated in the SCA Standards of Practice (2014). 

Criteria: Applicants for this level of membership must demonstrate and provide evidence of:

EITHER

A) A degree (bachelor’s or master’s) in humanities or human care studies. Appropriate qualifications might be in spiritual care, counselling, pastoral care, psychology, the philosophy or theology of a particular worldview or religion, social work, spiritual direction, etc.

OR

B) A tertiary degree in another discipline AND at minimum a graduate certificate in human care studies as outlined above.

AND 

• Supervised training in providing spiritual care (one unit of Clinical Pastoral Education or equivalent*) as outlined below and as set out by the Australia New Zealand Association of Clinical Pastoral Education, in the document titled "ANZACPE standards for Foundational and Advanced unit of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE)"  This includes:

•    200 hours ‘practicum’ (i.e. clinical experience in an approved pastoral/spiritual care placement) of  which 100 + hours is actual face-to-face pastoral/spiritual care comprised of 
    observing others offering pastoral/spiritual care, 
    preparing and delivering pastoral/spiritual rituals/services
    debriefing
    inter-disciplinary conferring 
    collegial conferring 
    self-care following a particularly challenging pastoral/spiritual encounter, writing notes regarding a pastoral/spiritual care encounter (notes that later may be shaped into a full Pastoral Encounter Review – PER) 
    hand-over, 
    statistical recording etc …

Plus

•    90 hours group supervision, and seminars/didactic-presentations (at least 80% attendance) 
•    10 hours one-to-one supervision (or equivalents)
•    100 hours reading, reflection, and preparation of written/videoed/oral material for presentation or assessment  Students/participants may be asked to complete other papers, presentations and learning journals as required.

* If an equivalent to CPE is the basis of certified level application, the above supervised training criteria must be demonstrated and evidence for each element listed must be provided.

Fee: $ 270.00 per annum

Certified Advanced level is open to all who work professionally in spiritual care and indicates a high level of qualification and experience in the field. This level is appropriate for practitioners who work at the ‘Certified Advanced’ level as indicated in the SCA Standards of Practice (2014)

Criteria: In addition to the requirements for Certified Member, applicants for Certified Advanced Member level will also need to demonstrate and provide evidence of:

• Postgraduate studies, e.g. Graduate Diploma, Masters, Doctorate;
• 5 years’ experience working in the spiritual care field;
• Supervised training in providing spiritual care (two units of Clinical Pastoral Education or the equivalent). One unit at Advanced Level is desirable. The total required hours of training are as outlined below:

• 400 hours of spiritual care placement that has been supervised by an experienced spiritual care practitioner
• 180 hours of group supervision and seminars/didactic presentations
• 200 hours of reading, reflection and preparation of written/videoed/oral material about the placement and spiritual care practice
• 20 hours of one-to-one professional supervision with a qualified and/or accredited supervisor

Fee: $ 270.00 per annum

Criteria: An interest in or commitment to promoting, encouraging or assisting wellbeing through chaplaincy, pastoral and spiritual care.

Information required: Please provide evidence of your interest in or commitment to promoting, encouraging or assisting wellbeing through chaplaincy, pastoral and spiritual care.

Fee: $ 70.00 per annum

Criteria: Evidence of enrolment in a recognised training program e.g. Clinical Pastoral Education, theology, religious or pastoral studies.

Information required: Attach relevant documents that indicate your enrolment in a recognised training program.

Fee: $ 70.00 per annum

Information required: Evidence of previous membership in SCA. (Please provide previous membership number)

Fee: $ 70.00 per annum

Criteria:

• Evidence of an interest in or commitment to promoting, encouraging or assisting wellbeing through chaplaincy, pastoral and spiritual care.
• Evidence that the objects and purposes of SCA are supported.

Information required: Please attach relevant documents that indicate your organisation’s commitment to promoting, encouraging or assisting wellbeing through chaplaincy, pastoral and spiritual care. This may be a Mission Statement or Strategic Plan.

Fee: $ 750.00 per annum

Certified and Certified Advanced criteria updated by the SCA National Board, December 2019.