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Using art, drama or music to carry out therapy interventions to improve a person’s mental, physical health and wellbeing.
This occupation is found in health, education and social care. Arts Therapists work in a range of settings such as the NHS, local authorities, voluntary, or private sector, hospitals, clinics, education, shelters, hospices, or prisons.
The broad purpose of the occupation is to use art, drama or music to carry out therapy interventions to improve a person’s mental, physical health and wellbeing. Arts Therapists are both artists in their chosen field and psychological therapists. They use art, drama or music as their primary mode of communication. Arts therapies can help to enhance general development, autonomy, social interaction and communication skills and can support both mental and physical rehabilitation. They may be used to address anxiety, confusion, pain, trauma and depression and to improve quality of life. Arts Therapists help the individual to experience themselves and others in different ways through the arts therapy intervention. This is particularly helpful when emotions are too confusing to express verbally, when verbal communication is difficult, or when words are not enough to relay feelings.
In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with a wide range of clients. Arts therapists may work across the full age range with clients who may have a wide range of difficulties, disabilities or diagnoses such as emotional, social, behavioural or mental health problems, learning or physical disabilities, injury, life-limiting conditions, neurological conditions or physical illnesses. Arts Therapy sessions may be delivered individually or in groups depending on the client’s needs. Arts therapists work closely with their team to provide and receive ongoing managerial, clinical and professional supervision and support. They also work with a range of wider stakeholders or organisations who may be involved in their client's care or support such as family, carers, education providers, health or social care services.
An employee in this occupation will be responsible for managing a caseload of clients with a wide variety of problems using client-centred approaches to assess a client’s needs. They devise support plans that takes into account the complex psychological, emotional, cognitive, physical, communicative and social needs of the client. They build rapport with clients and create a safe environment to help them to develop their self-awareness and self-confidence and to improve their functioning and promote mental well-being.
Apprentices will need to be proficient in art, drama or music before applying to this apprenticeship eg holding a degree or with experiential equivalence. In order to meet the HCPC requirements apprentices must be able to communicate in English to the standard equivalent to level 7 of the International English Language Testing System, with no element below 6.5, prior to entering the degree programme.
| Duty | Criteria for measuring performance | KSBs |
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Duty 1 Work in line with the legal, ethical scope of an Arts Therapist in line with HCPC and professional body standards and codes of practice |
Adhere to HCPC Standards of Proficiency, Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics and Continuing Professional Development Adhere to the professional body’s code of ethics Follow relevant statutory, mandatory and local policies and procedures |
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Duty 2 Work autonomously as an Arts Therapist |
Adhere to HCPC Standards of Prociency, Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics and Continuing Professional Development Adhere to the professional body’s code of ethics Follow relevant statutory, mandatory and local policies and procedures Practice autonomously whilst liaising with relevant professionals to respond to the client’s needs including treatment options and/or concerns as appropriate Communicate and interact appropriately, sensitively and effectively with the client and others to support the client with their therapy Apply the learning from clinical supervision into therapy practice Act in the client’s best interest recognising their changing needs and capacity |
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Duty 3 Manage a case load of clients, planning group and individual therapy sessions according to evidence-based best practice to meet the client’s goals |
Adhere to HCPC Standards of Proficiency, Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics and Continuing Professional Development Adhere to the professional body’s code of ethics Follow relevant statutory, mandatory and local policies and procedures Practice autonomously whilst liaising with relevant professionals to respond to the client’s needs including treatment options and/or concerns as appropriate Assess plan or deliver therapy demonstrating clinical reasoning skills using evidence-based practice and outcome measures Communicate and interact appropriately, sensitively and effectively with the client and others to support the client with their therapy Apply the learning from clinical supervision into therapy practice Generate appropriate records and reports in a timely manner Act in the client’s best interest recognising their changing needs and capacity |
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Duty 4 Assess a client’s initial needs, enabling them to make an informed choice, and using professional judgement to recommend on which intervention, if any, may be most appropriate |
Adhere to HCPC Standards of Proficiency, Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics and Continuing Professional Development Adhere to the professional body’s code of ethics Follow relevant statutory, mandatory and local policies and procedures Practice autonomously whilst liaising with relevant professionals to respond to the client’s needs including treatment options and/or concerns as appropriate Assess plan or deliver therapy demonstrating clinical reasoning skills using evidence-based practice and outcome measures Communicate and interact appropriately, sensitively and effectively with the client and others to support the client with their therapy Apply the learning from clinical supervision into therapy practice Generate appropriate records and reports in a timely manner Act in the client’s best interest recognising their changing needs and capacity |
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Duty 5 Engage in complex psychological therapy practice that involves clients with co-existing problems, conditions and social needs |
Adhere to HCPC Standards of Proficiency, Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics and Continuing Professional Development Adhere to the professional body’s code of ethics Follow relevant statutory, mandatory and local policies and procedures Practice autonomously whilst liaising with relevant professionals to respond to the client’s needs including treatment options and/or concerns as appropriate Assess plan or deliver therapy demonstrating clinical reasoning skills using evidence-based practice and outcome measures Communicate and interact appropriately, sensitively and effectively with the client and others to support the client with their therapy Apply the learning from clinical supervision into therapy practice Act in the client’s best interest recognising their changing needs and capacity |
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Duty 6 Make ongoing assessments with a client by understanding their current problems, what causes or perpetuates them and how therapy may help |
Adhere to HCPC Standards of Proficiency, Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics and Continuing Professional Development Adhere to the professional body’s code of ethics Follow relevant statutory, mandatory and local policies and procedures Assess plan or deliver therapy demonstrating clinical reasoning skills using evidence-based practice and outcome measures Communicate and interact appropriately, sensitively and effectively with the client and others to support the client with their therapy Apply the learning from clinical supervision into therapy practice Act in the client’s best interest recognising their changing needs and capacity |
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Duty 7 Support clients to take an active role in the therapeutic process of engaging in art, drama or music either individually or in groups |
Adhere to HCPC Standards of Prociency, Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics and Continuing Professional Development Adhere to the professional body’s code of ethics Follow relevant statutory, mandatory and local policies and procedures Practice autonomously whilst liaising with relevant professionals to respond to the client’s needs including treatment options and/or concerns as appropriate Assess plan or deliver therapy demonstrating clinical reasoning skills using evidence-based practice and outcome measures Communicate and interact appropriately, sensitively and effectively with the client and others to support the client with their therapy Apply the learning from clinical supervision into therapy practice Act in the client’s best interest recognising their changing needs and capacity |
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Duty 8 Enable clients to experience and consider their own thoughts, feelings and behaviours including those which are not easily put into words to help them experience themselves and others in new ways and gain an understanding of the problems they face |
Adhere to HCPC Standards of Proficiency, Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics and Continuing Professional Development Adhere to the professional body’s code of ethics Follow relevant statutory, mandatory and local policies and procedures Assess plan or deliver therapy demonstrating clinical reasoning skills using evidence-based practice and outcome measures Communicate and interact appropriately, sensitively and effectively with the client and others to support the client with their therapy Apply the learning from clinical supervision into therapy practice Act in the client’s best interest recognising their changing needs and capacity |
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Duty 9 Observe the client’s reactions, progress or other outcomes, assessing and evaluating the session to inform next stage in case management and to prepare accurate reports and notes |
Adhere to HCPC Standards of Proficiency, Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics and Continuing Professional Development Adhere to the professional body’s code of ethics Follow relevant statutory, mandatory and local policies and procedures Practice autonomously whilst liaising with relevant professionals to respond to the client’s needs including treatment options and/or concerns as appropriate Assess plan or deliver therapy demonstrating clinical reasoning skills using evidence-based practice and outcome measure Communicate and interact appropriately, sensitively and effectively with the client and other to support the client with their therapy Apply the learning from clinical supervision into therapy practice Generate appropriate records and reports in a timely manner |
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Duty 10 Receive and make referrals |
Adhere to HCPC Standards of Proficiency, Standards of Conduct,Performance and Ethics and Continuing ProfessionalDevelopment Adhere to the professional body’s code of ethics Follow relevant statutory, mandatory and local policies and procedures Practice autonomously whilst liaising with relevant professionals to respond to the client’s needs including treatment options and/or concerns as appropriate Assess plan or deliver therapy demonstrating clinical reasoning skills using evidence-based practice and outcome measures Communicate and interact appropriately, sensitively and effectively with the client and others to support the client with their therapy Generate appropriate records and reports in a timely manner |
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Duty 11 Communicate appropriately with the client and others involved in the client’s care or support, including acting as an advocate for clients if needed and actively seeking the involvement of carers where appropriate |
Adhere to HCPC Standards of Prociency, Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics and Continuing Professional Development Adhere to the professional body’s code of ethics Follow relevant statutory, mandatory and local policies and procedures Practice autonomously whilst liaising with relevant professionals to respond to the client’s needs including treatment options and/or Concerns as appropriate Communicate and interact appropriately, sensitively and effectively with the client and others to support the client with their therapy Generate appropriate records and reports in a timely manner Act in the client’s best interest recognising their changing needs and capacity |
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Duty 12 Assess client’s progress, adjust and adapt therapies as needed within your professional scope and capacity and recognise when it is time to end therapy interventions |
Adhere to HCPC Standards of Proficiency, Standards of Conduct,Performance and Ethics and Continuing Professional Development Adhere to the professional body’s code of ethics Follow relevant statutory, mandatory and local policies and procedures Assess plan or deliver therapy demonstrating clinical reasoning skills using evidence-based practice and outcome measures Communicate and interact appropriately, sensitively and effectively with the client and others to support the client with their therapy Apply the learning from clinical supervision into therapy practice Act in the client’s best interest recognising their changing needs and capacity |
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Duty 13 Regularly review the safety and effectiveness of practice |
Adhere to HCPC Standards of Proficiency, Standards of Conduct,Performance and Ethics and Continuing Professional Development Adhere to the professional body’s code of ethics Follow relevant statutory, mandatory and local policies and procedures Assess plan or deliver therapy demonstrating clinical reasoning skills using evidence-based practice and outcome measures Apply the learning from clinical supervision into therapy practice Generate appropriate records and reports in a timely manner Act in the client’s best interest recognising their changing needs and capacity |
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Duty 14 Train, supervise, consult with and support colleagues or the wider health and social care team and give your professional judgement as required |
Adhere to HCPC Standards of Proficiency, Standards of Conduct,Performance and Ethics and Continuing Professional Development Adhere to the professional body’s code of ethics Follow relevant statutory, mandatory and local policies and procedures Practice autonomously whilst liaising with relevant professionals to respond to the client’s needs including treatment options and/or concerns as appropriate Assess plan or deliver therapy demonstrating clinical reasoning skills using evidence-based practice and outcome measures Communicate and interact appropriately, sensitively and effectively with the client and others to support the client with their therapy Apply the learning from clinical supervision into therapy practice Act in the client’s best interest recognising their changing needs and capacity |
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Duty 15 Take part in research activity |
Adhere to HCPC Standards of Proficiency, Standards of Conduct,Performance and Ethics and Continuing Professional Development Adhere to the professional body’s code of ethics Follow relevant statutory, mandatory and local policies and procedures Evaluate practice |
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Duty 16 Engage in personal and professional development |
Adhere to HCPC Standards of Proficiency, Standards of Conduct,Performance and Ethics and Continuing Professional Development Adhere to the professional body’s code of ethics Follow relevant statutory, mandatory and local policies and procedures Show self-awareness, resilience and engage with reflective practice and process |
K1: The legal and ethical scope of the role including HCPC standards for Arts Therapists, the professional body’s Code of Ethics, legislation, policies and procedures related to the role and workplace including the limits of the role, knowledge and experience.
Back to Duty
K2: The concepts of confidentiality and informed consent and their application within a team or organisation, including how they extend to illustrative records.
Back to Duty
K3: How to record, report and store clinical records and other information in line with data protection legislation.
Back to Duty
K4: How to store, dispose of and ethically curate materials created within therapy.
Back to Duty
K5: How to identify, manage, report and escalate risks, hazards or harm to self, clients and others.
Back to Duty
K6: Ways to manage own workload and resources including knowledge of the financial and contractual aspects of practice.
Back to Duty
K7: Your own accountability for decision-making.
Back to Duty
K8: When and where to escalate concerns.
Back to Duty
K9: How to always act in the best interest of the client.
Back to Duty
K10: Ways to design specific and appropriate plans to meet the client’s goals, needs, preferences or objectives.
Back to Duty
K11: The importance of engaging clients, their family and others as appropriate in the planning, evaluating and recording of outcomes.
Back to Duty
K12: The emotional processes that may be elicited by engaging in a particular art form.
Back to Duty
K13: Current relevant theory, research and practice related to the therapeutic use of an art form.
Back to Duty
K14: Ways to evaluate the strengths, benefits and limitations of therapy.
Back to Duty
K15: Ways gain informed consent, assessing capacity and responding appropriately and in line with legislation.
Back to Duty
K16: The importance of client choice regarding treatment.
Back to Duty
K17: A range of assessment techniques linked to the presenting problem, it’s history or diagnosis.
Back to Duty
K18: How to reach clinical decisions including how to assess and enquire into the nature and severity of a problem.
Back to Duty
K19: Understand the structure and function of the human body together with knowledge of health, disease, disorder and dysfunction relevant to the aims of treatment and the Arts Therapy.
Back to Duty
K20: How to develop an understanding of the client’s strength, resilience and current problems including the importance of past experiences across lifespan development.
Back to Duty
K21: Protected characteristics, equality and diversity including ways in which the therapist should acknowledge, be responsive and adapt their practice.
Back to Duty
K22: The role and function of the art, drama or music within the relationship between client and therapist.
Back to Duty
K23: The principle therapeutic interventions and their theoretical basis for individual and groupwork.
Back to Duty
K24: The socio-cultural context and the client’s history on the making, viewing or experiencing of art, drama or music.
Back to Duty
K25: The role of the physical setting.
Back to Duty
K26: A range of approaches, materials and art, drama or music -based techniques used as a basis for the arts therapy sessions.
Back to Duty
K27: The role of the arts in facilitating the development of the therapeutic relationship, as a means of self-expression and communication and as a way of managing psychological distress.
Back to Duty
K28: Ways to enable clients to develop awareness of their own thoughts, feelings and behaviours to gain an understanding of the problems they face.
Back to Duty
K29: How the Arts Therapies represent a collaborative approach to health and wellbeing in which the therapist aims to do whatever is possible to engage the client and enable them to overcome emotional and psychological barriers to engaging in arts therapies.
Back to Duty
K30: How to change or adapt your practice to take into account new developments and changing contexts.
Back to Duty
K31: Ways to adjust plans or adapt practice to meet the needs of different groups or individuals.
Back to Duty
K32: When and where to refer.
Back to Duty
K33: How to conduct appropriate liaison, information-gathering and record keeping related to referrals in a timely manner.
Back to Duty
K34: How communication and interpersonal skills affect assessment and engagement.
Back to Duty
K35: How to adapt communication appropriately in relation to client needs.
Back to Duty
K36: How social and cultural factors may affect communication, when to seek support from interpreters or other services.
Back to Duty
K37: How to use information and communication technologies as required by your role.
Back to Duty
K38: How to decide when to initiate, continue, modify or cease treatment.
Back to Duty
K39: Understand current relevant safeguarding laws and risk management policies and their relevance to clinical work.
Back to Duty
K40: Ways to gather and interpret qualitative and quantitative data and the value of doing so.
Back to Duty
K41: How to critically analyse and evaluate social, emotional, physiological and biological factors in the context of integrated health and wellbeing and report these verbally or through written reports.
Back to Duty
K42: The role of audit in quality control, review and continuous improvement.
Back to Duty
K43: Ways to monitor and evaluate the quality of practice, including supervision and outcome measures.
Back to Duty
K44: When to offer your own professional opinion.
Back to Duty
K45: The role and value of clinical supervision and applied leadership.
Back to Duty
K46: The wider networks and contexts in which you work including the structure and function of health, social care and education services.
Back to Duty
K47: The importance of teamwork and working within the multidisciplinary team.
Back to Duty
K48: Stakeholders that may be involved in client’s care and support.
Back to Duty
K49: The principles, process and applications of research enquiry relevant to arts therapies practice.
Back to Duty
K50: A range of research methodologies and their appropriateness in evaluating arts therapies.
Back to Duty
K51: The importance of research-based evidence and the value of research in the critical evaluation of practice.
Back to Duty
K52: The importance of client involvement in evaluation.
Back to Duty
K53: The importance of continuous professional development.
Back to Duty
K54: The value of critical reflection maintaining fitness to practice.
Back to Duty
K55: How your own experience of developing insight and self-awareness through therapy gives value to your role.
Back to Duty
K56: The importance of maintaining your own health, well-being and resilience.
Back to Duty
K57: The importance of engaging in the practices and processes for creating art, drama or music.
Back to Duty
S1: Manage a caseload in line with legal and ethical responsibilities and professional registration.
Back to Duty
S2: Establish and maintain a safe practice environment.
Back to Duty
S3: Maintain confidentiality in all areas of your practice in a manner appropriate to the clinical context and setting and legal requirements.
Back to Duty
S4: Practise as an autonomous Arts Therapist.
Back to Duty
S5: Exercise professional judgement, taking personal responsibility for the decisions made.
Back to Duty
S6: To proactively seek and find creative, realistic solutions to problems.
Back to Duty
S7: Plan and manage Arts Therapy sessions according to evidence-based practice.
Back to Duty
S8: Provide client-centred therapy, working in partnership with clients, their family and others involved in their care or support, building rapport, encouraging communication and supporting clients’ autonomy.
Back to Duty
S9: Make psychological assessments and judgements by gathering an understanding of the client’s current problems, what causes, exacerbates or perpetuates them and how therapy may help or harm.
Back to Duty
S10: Undertake and record a thorough, sensitive and detailed assessment using your specialised skills to conceptualise and address problematic situations that involve many interacting factors
Back to Duty
S11: Enable clients to make an informed choice, about which intervention, if any, may be most appropriate.
Back to Duty
S12: Work with and respond appropriately to complex physical and mental health needs relevant to the client and the therapy.
Back to Duty
S13: Engage with clients with co-existing and complex problems to deliver a coherent approach to their therapeutic experience.
Back to Duty
S14: Employ your expertise in art, drama or music in conjunction with your psychological and therapeutic skills to develop and regularly review a formulation of the client’s problems in collaboration with them.
Back to Duty
S15: Use therapeutic skills and technical expertise in art, drama or music to enable the client to engage in the art form.
Back to Duty
S16: Select appropriate methods, equipment or techniques from within a medium (of art, drama or music) in the therapy session that is delivered.
Back to Duty
S17: Use arts and psychological understanding and interpersonal skills to help support the client’s awareness of their thoughts and feelings and to reflect on these and on their relationships and behaviour.
Back to Duty
S18: Use arts and psychological understanding and interpersonal skills to help the client to overcome any barriers wherever possible.
Back to Duty
S19: Read clients explicit and implicit emotional communication and use these to inform therapeutic action.
Back to Duty
S20: Elicit, receive and make appropriate referrals, promoting awareness of the arts therapies contribution throughout the organisation.
Back to Duty
S21: Communicate appropriately with others involved in the client’s care and involve them in decision making where appropriate.
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S22: Communicate effectively using verbal and non-verbal skills.
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S23: Engage the client in mutual assessment of their progress.
Back to Duty
S24: Make responsive and appropriate adjustments to therapeutic approach when required.
Back to Duty
S25: Review the effectiveness of practice through evaluation, audit and record keeping.
Back to Duty
S26: Apply current relevant safeguarding and risk management processes and procedures.
Back to Duty
S27: Work as part of a multi-disciplinary team within your own organisation and across the wider health and social care team outside of your own organisation as required.
Back to Duty
S28: Support, train, supervise and consult with colleagues.
Back to Duty
S29: Build and sustain professional relationships as an independent practitioner and a member of a team.
Back to Duty
S30: Be able to engage effectively in research activity and evaluation as required by the role in the context of the employing organisation’s priorities.
Back to Duty
S31: Reflect on, review and continuously improve and develop your own psychological and arts-based practice, supporting others to do the same.
Back to Duty
B1: Treat people with dignity and respect, being non-discriminatory and showing awareness of their rights and choices whilst acting in their best interests.
Back to Duty
B2: Be trustworthy and behave professionally.
Back to Duty
B3: Demonstrate empathy and compassion for clients, colleagues and others.
Back to Duty
Apprentices without level 2 English and maths will need to achieve this level prior to taking the End-Point Assessment. For those with an education, health and care plan or a legacy statement, the apprenticeship’s English and maths minimum requirement is Entry Level 3. A British Sign Language (BSL) qualification is an alternative to the English qualification for those whose primary language is BSL.
| High Level Qualification |
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MSc/MA in either Art Therapy/Art Psychotherapy, Dramatherapy or Music Therapy accredited by the Health and Care Professions council (HCPC) Level: 7 (non-degree qualification) |
This is a regulated occupation.
Health and Care Professions
Training provider must be approved by regulator body
EPAO must be approved by regulator body
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this apprenticeship will be reviewed in accordance with our change request policy.
| Version | Change detail | Earliest start date | Latest start date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 | Standard, end-point assessment plan and funding band revised | 01/09/2023 | Not set |
| 1.1 | End-point assessment plan and funding revised. | 21/02/2022 | 31/08/2023 |
| 1.0 | Approved for delivery | 05/04/2019 | 20/02/2022 |
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