Re-accreditation

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Our Mental Health Accreditation is a recognised quality standard for practitioners representing patients in proceedings under the Mental Health Act 1983 (MHA).

Membership lasts for three years.

You can apply for re-accreditation up to three months before your accreditation expires.

Re-accreditation is a way of:

maintaining legal aid contract requirements
assuring clients and key stakeholders that you’re up to date with changes in mental health law practice and procedure

The re-accreditation process takes around six to eight weeks. It can take longer if we receive high volumes of applications or if you do not give us all the information we need.

Step 1: Apply for an EDBS check

You’ll need to apply for an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (EDBS) check.

An EDBS check can take up to six weeks. Start the process as soon as possible, as your application will be refused if you fail to complete the process.

We can accept an existing enhanced disclosure if it’s not more than three months old at the date we receive your application.

We may request additional enhanced DBS checks to be undertaken at any point after your accreditation or re-accreditation.

Step 2: Read the guidance

Before you begin your application, read the:

Step 3: Complete the form

Complete the application form (Word 422 KB).

Step 4: Complete two case reports

You’ll need to complete the case report form with two case reports from different sections.

For example, you could use a section 2 hearing and a section 3 hearing.

Download the case report form (Word 245 KB)

Step 5: Submit your application

Your completed application is made up of:

your application form
two case reports
an original EDBS check
your continuing professional development records for the last three years

Do not send files larger than 18 MB. If necessary, send your supporting documents in separate emails.

Submit your application by email

Step 6: Pay the application fee

We’ll send you an invoice when we receive your application.

The application fee is £678 (inc. VAT).

Step 7: Complete the case study

Our accreditations team will review your application. We’ll let you know if we need any more information from you.

If you meet our initial eligibility checks, we’ll send you a case study.

You must return your answer to the accreditation office by email or post within 14 days.

We’ll send your completed application to one of our assessors.

Step 8: Accreditation

Our accreditation team will review and assess your application.

We’ll let you know the outcome of your application once we’ve received your payment.

Appeals

Please note application fees are not-refundable.

You may appeal against our decision.

Read our appeals policy

Contact us

Call: 020 7320 5797

Email: accreditation@lawsociety.org.uk

Opening hours: 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday