The UK-SBA Competence Framework: A New Model for Behavior Analytic Fieldwork
- Ashleigh
- 6 hours ago
- 4 min read
For years, the BACB served as the primary certifying body for behavior analysts worldwide. However, in 2023, they shifted their focus and eliminated international certification. As a result, many countries and regions have established their own credentialing organizations with their own sets of standards. The UK is one of those countries.
The UK Society for Behavior Analysis (UK-SBA) now certifies behavior analysts in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Their pathway to certification is much different than the BACB’s, though. There isn’t an exam. There isn’t a set number of required hours. It’s all based on a competence framework, ensuring that behavior analysts not only have the knowledge necessary for this field, but more importantly, the ability to effectively demonstrate the skills of a behavior analyst. Let’s explore the UK-SBA’s competence framework.
What is the UK-SBA?
The UK Society for Behavior Analysis (UK-SBA) is the professional body responsible for certifying behavior analysts in the UK and Ireland. With the elimination of the international BACB certification, the UK-SBA has created a structured system for behavior analytic certification.
The UK-SBA plays an important role in the field of behavior analysis in the UK by:
Registering and accrediting UKBA’s (UK behavior analysts)
Setting professional and ethical standards to guide practice
Supporting professional development through training, events, and professional resources
Advocating for behavior analysis across education, health, and social care systems
Comparing Fieldwork Requirements for UKBA & BCBA Certification
The UKBA certification has a unique set of requirements that differ considerably from those of BCBAs. While the educational requirements are the same (e.g., a Master’s Degree in Behavior Analysis or a related field + a verified course sequence), the fieldwork requirements are where they begin to diverge.
Under the BACB’s fieldwork model, trainees must accrue 1500-2000 supervised fieldwork hours with minimum requirements for supervision and observation with clients. There are no requirements to complete specific activities or demonstrate competencies in specific tasks. While supervisors should ensure their trainees complete a wide range of activities and demonstrate competencies in BCBA-level tasks, there isn’t a formal way for trainees’ knowledge to be assessed until the final BCBA exam. This exam is designed to evaluate one’s knowledge of key concepts and skills. Yet, some may argue it doesn’t always translate to hands-on work.
Competence Log
The UK-SBA is unique in that fieldwork is focused on demonstrating competence in knowledge and skills. One key component of this is the Competence Log. Before earning certification as a UKBA, one must demonstrate both knowledge and observed skill in each competence area. As a trainee progresses through their supervised fieldwork experience, supervisors confirm when knowledge and skills have been mastered, which they then record on the log. When the log is completed, it’s submitted as part of the certification application, similar to that of the Initial Competency Assessment for RBTs.
Depending on the knowledge or skill area, evidence of competency may include:
Direct observations
Graphs
Intervention descriptions
Personal reflections
Meeting minutes
Data sheets
Other permanent products
Case Studies
In addition to the Competence Log, aspiring UKBAs must complete two written case studies for separate clients. These case studies must represent their work from the onset of services through intervention and evaluation of progress. Case studies should include a literature review, rationale, and functional assessment. Documentation within the case study must include evidence of all elements of case management, including but not limited to:
Assessment
Selection of interventions
Data
Plans for generalization
Social validity
UKBA Supervised Practice Timeline
While there isn’t a set number of hours or a specific timeline that UKBA applicants must accumulate, there are guidelines, including:
All competencies must be completed within five consecutive years. Any competencies signed off on more than five years ago must be repeated.
Only 5% of the total number of knowledge and skill items can be signed off on per month, ensuring applicants cannot rush through.
Could Competency-Based Fieldwork Be a Better Model?
The UK-SBA’s approach to supervised practice shifts the focus from time spent in ABA to skills demonstrated. This model addresses some of the common limitations of the BACB’s traditional hour-based model. With the BACB’s standards, many trainees encounter gaps in their fieldwork experiences. It’s common to hear from newly-certified BCBAs that they didn’t receive training or guidance in key competencies, like caregiver training. Trainees may technically meet the hour requirements without consistently demonstrating mastery in all critical areas that make a well-rounded BCBA. Competence is largely assessed at the end of fieldwork through the exam, which may not fully capture a trainee’s ability to perform effectively in real-world scenarios.
By contrast, by requiring trainees to provide objective evidence of their skills and knowledge, the UK-SBA ensures that practical skill development is built into the entire supervised experience. Prioritizing mastery of skills over hours accumulated may lead to more qualified behavior analysts who are better prepared to deliver top-notch, ethical care.
By emphasizing demonstrated competence over hours, the UK-SBA sets a new standard for training behavior analysts, ensuring they are both knowledgeable and ready to apply their skills in practice. Competency-based fieldwork may just become an influential model for the future of ABA training worldwide.
References
UK Society for Behaviour Analysis. (2025, July). FAQs for UK-SBA certifications. https://uk-sba.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/FAQs-for-UK-SBA-Certifications.pdf
UK Society for Behaviour Analysis. (2025). UKBA(cert) manual (Version 2.1). https://uk-sba.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/UKBAcert-Manual_V2.1-October-2025.pdf
UK Society for Behaviour Analysis. (2025). Routes to UKBA(cert) 2025-2032. https://uk-sba.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Routes-to-UKBAcert_2025.pdf
UK Society for Behaviour Analysis. (2023). UKBA(cert) competencies assessed at supervision. https://uk-sba.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/UKBAcert-Competencies-assessed-at-Supervision_final_27.03.2023.pdf
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