Arts Therapist (degree)
Occupation overview
Using art, drama or music to carry out therapy interventions to improve a person’s mental, physical health and wellbeing
Occupation summary
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.
Skills
S1 Manage a caseload in line with legal and ethical responsibilities and professional registration.
S2 Establish and maintain a safe practice environment.
S3 Maintain confidentiality in all areas of your practice in a manner appropriate to the clinical context and setting and legal requirements.
S4 Practise as an autonomous Arts Therapist.
S5 Exercise professional judgement, taking personal responsibility for the decisions made.
S6 To proactively seek and find creative, realistic solutions to problems.
S7 Plan and manage Arts Therapy sessions according to evidence-based practice.
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.
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.
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
S11 Enable clients to make an informed choice, about which intervention, if any, may be most appropriate.
S12 Work with and respond appropriately to complex physical and mental health needs relevant to the client and the therapy.
S13 Engage with clients with co-existing and complex problems to deliver a coherent approach to their therapeutic experience.
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.
S15 Use therapeutic skills and technical expertise in art, drama or music to enable the client to engage in the art form.
S16 Select appropriate methods, equipment or techniques from within a medium (of art, drama or music) in the therapy session that is delivered.
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.
S18 Use arts and psychological understanding and interpersonal skills to help the client to overcome any barriers wherever possible.
S19 Read clients explicit and implicit emotional communication and use these to inform therapeutic action.
S20 Elicit, receive and make appropriate referrals, promoting awareness of the arts therapies contribution throughout the organisation.
S21 Communicate appropriately with others involved in the client’s care and involve them in decision making where appropriate.
S22 Communicate effectively using verbal and non-verbal skills.
S23 Engage the client in mutual assessment of their progress.
S24 Make responsive and appropriate adjustments to therapeutic approach when required.
S25 Review the effectiveness of practice through evaluation, audit and record keeping.
S26 Apply current relevant safeguarding and risk management processes and procedures.
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.
S28 Support, train, supervise and consult with colleagues.
S29 Build and sustain professional relationships as an independent practitioner and a member of a team.
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.
S31 Reflect on, review and continuously improve and develop your own psychological and arts-based practice, supporting others to do the same.
Knowledge
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.
K2: The concepts of confidentiality and informed consent and their application within a team or organisation, including how they extend to illustrative records.
K3: How to record, report and store clinical records and other information in line with data protection legislation.
K4: How to store, dispose of and ethically curate materials created within therapy.
K5: How to identify, manage, report and escalate risks, hazards or harm to self, clients and others.
K6: Ways to manage own workload and resources including knowledge of the financial and contractual aspects of practice.
K7: Your own accountability for decision-making.
K8: When and where to escalate concerns.
K9: How to always act in the best interest of the client.
K10: Ways to design specific and appropriate plans to meet the client’s goals, needs, preferences or objectives.
K11: The importance of engaging clients, their family and others as appropriate in the planning, evaluating and recording of outcomes.
K12: The emotional processes that may be elicited by engaging in a particular art form.
K13: Current relevant theory, research and practice related to the therapeutic use of an art form.
K14: Ways to evaluate the strengths, benefits and limitations of therapy.
K15: Ways gain informed consent, assessing capacity and responding appropriately and in line with legislation.
K16: The importance of client choice regarding treatment.
K17: A range of assessment techniques linked to the presenting problem, it’s history or diagnosis.
K18: How to reach clinical decisions including how to assess and enquire into the nature and severity of a problem.
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.
K20: How to develop an understanding of the client’s strength, resilience and current problems including the importance of past experiences across lifespan development.
K21: Protected characteristics, equality and diversity including ways in which the therapist should acknowledge, be responsive and adapt their practice.
K22: The role and function of the art, drama or music within the relationship between client and therapist.
K23: The principle therapeutic interventions and their theoretical basis for individual and groupwork.
K24: The socio-cultural context and the client’s history on the making, viewing or experiencing of art, drama or music.
K25: The role of the physical setting.
K26: A range of approaches, materials and art, drama or music -based techniques used as a basis for the arts therapy sessions.
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.
K28: Ways to enable clients to develop awareness of their own thoughts, feelings and behaviours to gain an understanding of the problems they face.
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.
K30: How to change or adapt your practice to take into account new developments and changing contexts.
K31: Ways to adjust plans or adapt practice to meet the needs of different groups or individuals.
K32: When and where to refer.
K33: How to conduct appropriate liaison, information-gathering and record keeping related to referrals in a timely manner.
K34: How communication and interpersonal skills affect assessment and engagement.
K35: How to adapt communication appropriately in relation to client needs.
K36: How social and cultural factors may affect communication, when to seek support from interpreters or other services.
K37: How to use information and communication technologies as required by your role.
K38: How to decide when to initiate, continue, modify or cease treatment.
K39: Understand current relevant safeguarding laws and risk management policies and their relevance to clinical work.
K40: Ways to gather and interpret qualitative and quantitative data and the value of doing so.
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.
K42: The role of audit in quality control, review and continuous improvement.
K43: Ways to monitor and evaluate the quality of practice, including supervision and outcome measures.
K44: When to offer your own professional opinion.
K45: The role and value of clinical supervision and applied leadership.
K46: The wider networks and contexts in which you work including the structure and function of health, social care and education services.
K47: The importance of teamwork and working within the multidisciplinary team.
K48: Stakeholders that may be involved in client’s care and support.
K49: The principles, process and applications of research enquiry relevant to arts therapies practice.
K50: A range of research methodologies and their appropriateness in evaluating arts therapies.
K51: The importance of research-based evidence and the value of research in the critical evaluation of practice.
K52: The importance of client involvement in evaluation.
K53: The importance of continuous professional development.
K54: The value of critical reflection maintaining fitness to practice.
K55: How your own experience of developing insight and self-awareness through therapy gives value to your role.
K56: The importance of maintaining your own health, well-being and resilience.
K57: The importance of engaging in the practices and processes for creating art, drama or music.
Occupation duties
Duty
Criteria for measuring performance
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
P1 Adhere to HCPC Standards of Proficiency, Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics and Continuing Professional Development
P2 Adhere to the professional body’s code of ethics
P3 Follow relevant statutory, mandatory and local policies and procedures
KSBs
K1 K2 K3 K4 K5
S1 S2 S3
B2
Criteria for measuring performance
Duty 2 Work autonomously as an Arts Therapist
P1 Adhere to HCPC Standards of Proficiency, Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics and Continuing Professional Development
P2 Adhere to the professional body’s code of ethics
P3 Follow relevant statutory, mandatory and local policies and procedures
P4 Practice autonomously whilst liaising with relevant professionals to respond to the client’s needs including treatment options and/or concerns as appropriate
P6 Communicate and interact appropriately, sensitively and effectively with the client and others to support the client with their therapy
P7 Apply the learning from clinical supervision into therapy practice
P9 Act in the client’s best interest recognising their changing needs and capacity
KSBs
K6 K7 K8
S4 S5 S6
B2
Criteria for measuring performance
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
P1 Adhere to HCPC Standards of Proficiency, Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics and Continuing Professional Development
P2 Adhere to the professional body’s code of ethics
P3 Follow relevant statutory, mandatory and local policies and procedures
P4 Practice autonomously whilst liaising with relevant professionals to respond to the client’s needs including treatment options and/or concerns as appropriate
P5 Assess plan or deliver therapy demonstrating clinical reasoning skills using evidence-based practice and outcome measures
P6 Communicate and interact appropriately, sensitively and effectively with the client and others to support the client with their therapy
P7 Apply the learning from clinical supervision into therapy practice
P8 Generate appropriate records and reports in a timely manner
P9 Act in the client’s best interest recognising their changing needs and capacity
KSBs
K9 K10 K11 K12 K13 K14
S7 S8
B1 B2 B3
Criteria for measuring performance
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
P1 Adhere to HCPC Standards of Proficiency, Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics and Continuing Professional Development
P2 Adhere to the professional body’s code of ethics
P3 Follow relevant statutory, mandatory and local policies and procedures
P4 Practice autonomously whilst liaising with relevant professionals to respond to the client’s needs including treatment options and/or concerns as appropriate
P5 Assess plan or deliver therapy demonstrating clinical reasoning skills using evidence-based practice and outcome measures
P6 Communicate and interact appropriately, sensitively and effectively with the client and others to support the client with their therapy
P7 Apply the learning from clinical supervision into therapy practice
P8 Generate appropriate records and reports in a timely manner
P9 Act in the client’s best interest recognising their changing needs and capacity
KSBs
K15 K16 K17 K18 K19
S9 S10 S11 S12
B1 B2 B3
Criteria for measuring performance
Duty 5 Engage in complex psychological therapy practice that involves clients with co-existing problems, conditions and social needs
P1 Adhere to HCPC Standards of Proficiency, Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics and Continuing Professional Development
P2 Adhere to the professional body’s code of ethics
P3 Follow relevant statutory, mandatory and local policies and procedures
P4 Practice autonomously whilst liaising with relevant professionals to respond to the client’s needs including treatment options and/or concerns as appropriate
P5 Assess plan or deliver therapy demonstrating clinical reasoning skills using evidence-based practice and outcome measures
P6 Communicate and interact appropriately, sensitively and effectively with the client and others to support the client with their therapy
P7 Apply the learning from clinical supervision into therapy practice
P9 Act in the client’s best interest recognising their changing needs and capacity
KSBs
K20 K21
S13
B1 B2 B3
Criteria for measuring performance
Duty 6 Make ongoing assessments with a client by understanding their current problems, what causes or perpetuates them and how therapy may help
P1 Adhere to HCPC Standards of Proficiency, Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics and Continuing Professional Development
P2 Adhere to the professional body’s code of ethics
P3 Follow relevant statutory, mandatory and local policies and procedures
P5 Assess plan or deliver therapy demonstrating clinical reasoning skills using evidence-based practice and outcome measures
P6 Communicate and interact appropriately, sensitively and effectively with the client and others to support the client with their therapy
P7 Apply the learning from clinical supervision into therapy practice
P9 Act in the client’s best interest recognising their changing needs and capacity
KSBs
K22 K23
S14
B1 B2 B3
Criteria for measuring performance
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
P1 Adhere to HCPC Standards of Proficiency, Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics and Continuing Professional Development
P2 Adhere to the professional body’s code of ethics
P3 Follow relevant statutory, mandatory and local policies and procedures
P4 Practice autonomously whilst liaising with relevant professionals to respond to the client’s needs including treatment options and/or concerns as appropriate
P5 Assess plan or deliver therapy demonstrating clinical reasoning skills using evidence-based practice and outcome measures
P6 Communicate and interact appropriately, sensitively and effectively with the client and others to support the client with their therapy
P7 Apply the learning from clinical supervision into therapy practice
P9 Act in the client’s best interest recognising their changing needs and capacity
KSBs
K24 K25 K26 K27
S15 S16
B1 B2 B3
Criteria for measuring performance
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
P1 Adhere to HCPC Standards of Proficiency, Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics and Continuing Professional Development
P2 Adhere to the professional body’s code of ethics
P3 Follow relevant statutory, mandatory and local policies and procedures
P5 Assess plan or deliver therapy demonstrating clinical reasoning skills using evidence-based practice and outcome measures
P6 Communicate and interact appropriately, sensitively and effectively with the client and others to support the client with their therapy
P7 Apply the learning from clinical supervision into therapy practice
P9 Act in the client’s best interest recognising their changing needs and capacity
KSBs
K28 K29
S17 S18
B1 B2 B3
Criteria for measuring performance
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
P1 Adhere to HCPC Standards of Proficiency, Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics and Continuing Professional Development
P2 Adhere to the professional body’s code of ethics
P3 Follow relevant statutory, mandatory and local policies and procedures
P4 Practice autonomously whilst liaising with relevant professionals to respond to the client’s needs including treatment options and/or concerns as appropriate
P5 Assess plan or deliver therapy demonstrating clinical reasoning skills using evidence-based practice and outcome measures
P6 Communicate and interact appropriately, sensitively and effectively with the client and others to support the client with their therapy
P7 Apply the learning from clinical supervision into therapy practice
P8 Generate appropriate records and reports in a timely manner
KSBs
K30 K31
S19
B1 B2 B3
Criteria for measuring performance
Duty 10 Receive and make referrals
P1 Adhere to HCPC Standards of Proficiency, Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics and Continuing Professional Development
P2 Adhere to the professional body’s code of ethics
P3 Follow relevant statutory, mandatory and local policies and procedures
P4 Practice autonomously whilst liaising with relevant professionals to respond to the client’s needs including treatment options and/or concerns as appropriate
P5 Assess plan or deliver therapy demonstrating clinical reasoning skills using evidence-based practice and outcome measures
P6 Communicate and interact appropriately, sensitively and effectively with the client and others to support the client with their therapy
P8 Generate appropriate records and reports in a timely manner
KSBs
K32 K33
S20
B2
Criteria for measuring performance
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
P1 Adhere to HCPC Standards of Proficiency, Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics and Continuing Professional Development
P2 Adhere to the professional body’s code of ethics
P3 Follow relevant statutory, mandatory and local policies and procedures
P4 Practice autonomously whilst liaising with relevant professionals to respond to the client’s needs including treatment options and/or concerns as appropriate
P6 Communicate and interact appropriately, sensitively and effectively with the client and others to support the client with their therapy
P8 Generate appropriate records and reports in a timely manner
P9 Act in the client’s best interest recognising their changing needs and capacity
KSBs
K34 K35 K36 K37
S21 S22
B1 B2 B3
Criteria for measuring performance
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
P1 Adhere to HCPC Standards of Proficiency, Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics and Continuing Professional Development
P2 Adhere to the professional body’s code of ethics
P3 Follow relevant statutory, mandatory and local policies and procedures
P5 Assess plan or deliver therapy demonstrating clinical reasoning skills using evidence-based practice and outcome measures
P6 Communicate and interact appropriately, sensitively and effectively with the client and others to support the client with their therapy
P7 Apply the learning from clinical supervision into therapy practice
P9 Act in the client’s best interest recognising their changing needs and capacity
KSBs
K38
S23 S24
B1 B2 B3
Criteria for measuring performance
Duty 13 Regularly review the safety and effectiveness of practice
P1 Adhere to HCPC Standards of Proficiency, Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics and Continuing Professional Development
P2 Adhere to the professional body’s code of ethics
P3 Follow relevant statutory, mandatory and local policies and procedures
P5 Assess plan or deliver therapy demonstrating clinical reasoning skills using evidence-based practice and outcome measures
P7 Apply the learning from clinical supervision into therapy practice
P8 Generate appropriate records and reports in a timely manner
P9 Act in the client’s best interest recognising their changing needs and capacity
KSBs
K5 K39 K40 K41 K42 K43
S25 S26
B2
Criteria for measuring performance
Duty 14 Train, supervise, consult with and support colleagues or the wider health and social care team and give your professional judgement as required
P1 Adhere to HCPC Standards of Proficiency, Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics and Continuing Professional Development
P2 Adhere to the professional body’s code of ethics
P3 Follow relevant statutory, mandatory and local policies and procedures
P4 Practice autonomously whilst liaising with relevant professionals to respond to the client’s needs including treatment options and/or concerns as appropriate
P5 Assess plan or deliver therapy demonstrating clinical reasoning skills using evidence-based practice and outcome measures
P6 Communicate and interact appropriately, sensitively and effectively with the client and others to support the client with their therapy
P7 Apply the learning from clinical supervision into therapy practice
P9 Act in the client’s best interest recognising their changing needs and capacity
KSBs
K44 K45 K46 K47 K48
S27 S28 S29
B1 B2 B3
Criteria for measuring performance
Duty 15 Take part in research activity
P1 Adhere to HCPC Standards of Proficiency, Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics and Continuing Professional Development
P2 Adhere to the professional body’s code of ethics
P3 Follow relevant statutory, mandatory and local policies and procedures
P11 Evaluate practice
KSBs
K49 K50 K51 K52
S30
B2
Criteria for measuring performance
Duty 16 Engage in personal and professional development
P1 Adhere to HCPC Standards of Proficiency, Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics and Continuing Professional Development
P2 Adhere to the professional body’s code of ethics
P3 Follow relevant statutory, mandatory and local policies and procedures
P10 Show self-awareness, resilience and engage with reflective practice and process
KSBs
K53 K54 K55 K56 K57
S31
B2
Behaviours
B1: Treat people with dignity and respect, being non-discriminatory and showing awareness of their rights and choices whilst acting in their best interests.
B2: Be trustworthy and behave professionally.
B3: Demonstrate empathy and compassion for clients, colleagues and others.
Entry requirements
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.
Additional details
Occupational Level: 7
Duration (months): 24
Qualifications
English and Maths qualifications
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.
Other qualifications
Mandatory qualification 1: MSc/MA in either Art Therapy/Art Psychotherapy, Dramatherapy or Music Therapy accredited by the Health and Care Professions council (HCPC) http://www.hcpc-uk.org/education/programmes/register/.
Level of qualification: 7 (non-integrated degree)
Basis for mandatory qualification: Regulatory requirement
Review
This standard will be reviewed after three years.
Regulated Standard
This is a Regulated occupation.
Regulator Body:
Health and Care Professions Council
Training provider must be approved by regulator body
EPAO must be approved by regulator body
Originally published on Gov.uk, this information has been re-used under the terms of the Open Government Licence.
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