About BABICM

Established in 1996, BABICM is the representative body for brain injury case managers. In the last 25 years there has been a great deal of progress in the delivery of care and rehabilitation for people living with brain injuries and other complex conditions, and also in the growth of the case management profession.

The organisation has followed a path of transition from a relatively small professional body that was supported by a team of strong, dedicated volunteers in a small office to the current powerful and overarching organisation.

We celebrated our 25^th Anniversary in 2021, you can read about our influential journey here.

BABICM now provides structure for the continued professional advancement of case management and promotes best practice to address and manage the needs of individuals with brain injury and other complex medical conditions. Members are required to meet professional standards, practice competencies and uphold the BABICM Code of Ethics. As well as undertaking appropriate training and continuing professional development, BABICM members also have to confirm their ‘fitness to practice' annually.

Our Foundations

The foundations of BABICM represent the essential elements that underpin all that we do. They are crucially important to our operations, priorities, and decisions.

• Our people within BABICM
• Our Members
• Our relationships
• Our ethics
• Credibility and trust we have earned across our sector
• Our commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusivity
• Our history
• Our finances
• Governance of our activities
• Time

Our Vision

BABICM is dedicated to serving its members by supporting them in their professional role. Our vision is built upon a clear duty, mission and commitment that reflect the core of our organisation.

Our vision encompasses the following purposes for our organisation:

• Providing CPD opportunities.
• Providing Member resources.
• Advocating on behalf of the Membership.
• Promoting and educating about case management.
• Offering opportunities for peer support and networking.
• Evolving and adapting to remain current and relevant.
• Contributing to the evidence base through research and publication.

Our Duty is to our members, supporting them in their duty to their clients.

Our Mission 

We train, we educate, we support, we promote, we empower.

Our Values

BABICM’s values define how we will act and behave as we work towards achieving our vision. They provide both ethical and professional principles that guide our organisation.

• Our culture is ethical, equitable, inclusive, and respectful.
• We will advocate on behalf of the Membership.
• We will champion standards, competencies, and professional guidance.
• We will produce accessible and supportive resources.
• We will encourage peer support and networking.
• We offer value for money to members.
• We respect and appreciate volunteer contributions and goodwill.

Our 2024 – 2027 Focus Areas

In the next period, BABICM will focus its development work on four key areas to support the continued delivery of our vision and to meet the needs of our members:

1. Engagement with our members.
2. Research - contributing to the evidence base for and about case management.
3. Supporting pathways into case management.
4. Sustainability for the long-term future.

Our 2024 – 2027 Strategic Objectives

The strategic objectives are the outcomes we aim to achieve within our key focus areas. These will guide our actions and help ensure we remain relevant and effective in serving our members.

1. Remain relevant and maintaining member numbers after IRCM opens for registration.
2. Optimise volunteer time and skills by increasing resources, efficiency and organisational memory within our central team.
3. Increase member engagement and feedback.
4. Improve accessibility of research evidence to support case managers in practice.
5. Recognise, celebrate and share successes and good practice.
6. Enhance member benefits across all categories.
7. Increase opportunities for members to network with each other.

What we offer

Representation 

BABICM is an inclusive organisation offering strong representation to policy makers, the healthcare and legal industry and internationally. We offer representation, professional development and support to our members and on behalf of the brain injury and complex profession.

Professional Development

We pride ourselves in producing industry-leading brain injury events across the UK, utilising the latest technology and speakers to deliver enhanced training and development opportunities. Non-members are also welcome. View our events calendar here.

Research & Resources

BABICM has always led the way for brain injury and complex case managers and today, we can offer over 25 years’ experience in understanding and explaining the techniques, challenges, triumphs and innovations of brain injury and complex case management – thanks to our extensive research programmes, surveys and strong links to our members and their experiences.

A Forum for Collaboration

BABICM is the forum for developing best practice and policy regarding the needs of people with brain injury and complex conditions - evidenced in our unique training programme and support for the Office of the Public Guardian, our representation of brain injury case management and our members' clients' needs through the ABI Alliance, and our increasing relationships with key policy makers and influencers.

Our Work

We strive to:

• Recognise, promote and share knowledge and excellence in brain injury and complex case management, for adults, children and young people.
• Lead the way promoting research and evidence-based practice.
• Influence and shape national policy and procedures for individuals with brain injury and complex needs through collaborative and inclusive working.
• Ensure the highest professional and ethical standards.
• Deliver an effective and equitable service and ensure sustainability of the Association.

Code of Ethics

In 2008, BABICM convened a joint working party alongside the Case Management Society UK (CMSUK) and Vocational Rehabilitation Association UK (VRA) to develop a Code of Ethics.

Standardising Practice

We aim to deliver a clear development pathway to ensure we can consistently promote high standards and professionalism in the delivery of brain injury and complex case management across the UK. We are collaborating with other organisations to create a national joint case management framework and to promote high standards of practice and accountability, working towards national accreditation for case managers.

Download and read our BABICM Standards & Competencies Guide.

On matters that affect our clients and impact on brain injury case management, we have contributed to various consultation documents for national policy such as the National Service Framework for Long term Conditions, The Health Select Committee Inquiry on Head Injury Rehabilitation, Care Standards Act, National Minimum Standards for Domiciliary Care, Rehabilitation Code and Serious Injuries Guide.

BABICM is a registered as a stakeholder for The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for several quality Standards including Rehabilitation in Adults with complex psychosis and related mental health conditions, Rehabilitation after traumatic injury, Head Injury Assessment and Early Management.

Our Membership

BABICM is the UK’s premier professional body for case managers working with individuals that have a brain injury and complex needs. We represent the professional interests and concerns of case managers who work with those who have suffered a brain or complex, serious injury – especially those who have long term conditions.

We constantly strive to develop an ethical and professional structure in which the discipline can flourish and provide a high standard of representation and training to help our members advance, grow and develop their own skills and businesses.

We enable regular targeted professional networking and communication amongst our members for the continued growth, experience and reputation of case management as a profession – as well as to advance individual skills and practice.

We are an inclusive organisation offering strong representation to policy makers, the healthcare and legal industry internationally. We offer representation, professional development support to our members and on behalf of the brain injury and complex profession.

We aim to deliver a clear development pathway to ensure we can consistently promote high standards and professionalism in the delivery of brain injury and complex case management across the UK. We work closely with other organisations to create and promote a national joint case management framework to promote high standards of aspiration, practice and accountability.

We have an extensive range of membership types suitable for everyone from students and established case managers to carers, families and other organisations and businesses that also work with those who have acquired brain injuries or have an interest in the delivery of complex brain injury case management. Find out more about our Membership here.

Our Governance

BABICM is governed by our Board of Directors and our Council Members, comprising of our Working Group Chairs and other Council Members.

Our Council

BABICM council is formed of volunteers from the membership. Members can apply to be on council as vacancies become available at the AGM each year (which is held at the summer conference). Members are voted in for 3 years and continue as volunteers. There is a minimum number of 12 council member at any one time and a maximum of 16. BABICM council meets 6 times per year, 2 face to face and 4 webinar. Council members are required to attend meetings regularly and should more than 2 meetings be missed over the 12 months they are asked to step down. The council sets, support and monitors the strategic direction of the organisation, it works to support BABICM's aims and to represent the membership.

Our Working Groups

BABICM has four specialist working groups that help BABICM deliver it’s aims and support the work of the Chair. These working groups have proved flexible over time to accommodate for the changing needs of our members and the wider brain injury support and case management industry. The groups also spearhead exciting and high profile collaborations with statutory bodies, stakeholders, universities, legal professionals and healthcare specialists.

1. Professional Practice & Membership Group

The Professional Practice Membership Group (PPMG) is responsible for enhancing and supporting the professionalism of case managers working with clients with brain injury and complex needs. It is one of the longest running working groups (formerly known as the Professional Standards Group).

The group’s purpose and aims are to:

1. Champion best practice

• Highlight best practice from within the membership.
• Provide best practice guidance.
• Provide a structure for CPD for BABICM members.
• Address queries relating to any aspect of brain injury and complex case management practice.

2. Promote professional standards

• Collaborate in working towards a national register of practising case managers under the Professional Standards Authority.
• Work collaboratively with other sub-groups of BABICM to ensure professionalism of case management practice.
• Review any information produced by BABICM relating to professional standards.

3. Oversee membership of BABICM

• Manage the process for achieving Advanced Membership.
• Review and monitor membership criteria.
• Respond to membership queries.

The group comprises of practicing BABICM members from a range of companies, professional backgrounds and localities across the UK. We use our collective experience to provide guidance for professional practice, advanced membership assessments and to respond to any membership enquiries as they arise. The Advanced Practitioner Membership process also sits with this group.

2. Company Strategy Group

The aims of the group are as follows:

• To support and develop the strategic planning within BABICM.
• To support the sustainability and continued development of BABICM alongside the Institute of Registered Case Managers.
• To identify and promote BABICM’s identity within the industry sector.
• To support and develop BABICM’s collaboration, communication, and marketing activities.
• To promote membership of BABICM and to champion the membership to the broadest possible range of members.

3. Training and Education Group

The aim of the Training and Education Group is to arrange accessible and welcoming training events to contribute to professional development of members and other professionals working with people with brain injuries and other complex conditions.

Training content relates to the BABICM Competencies and Standards and responds to relevant challenges, changes and developments within legal, statutory, medical, social and scientific aspects for clients.

The group meet regularly all across the UK. They run forums, workshops and full conferences developing a rich programme of events in various locations across the UK every year. There are repeated favourites regularly and new one-off events developed to cover key topic areas – often requested by members and other delegates.

Regular BABICM training & education events include:

• New & Would Be workshops: for those starting out or thinking about a career in case management.
• Beyond the Beginnings workshops: for case managers who have got to grips with the basics and want to explore aspects of casework and medicolegal issues in more depth.
• One-day conferences for deputies and case managers: most recently ‘Disclosure Dilemmas’ a great opportunity for joined-up discussion about the some of the shared challenges faced by case managers and deputies.
• Our two-day Annual Conference in June.

4. Research & Evidence Publications Group

The aims of the group are as follows:

• To promote the dissemination of and encourage research into Brain Injury and Case Management.
• To create an up to date reference list and database relevant to Brain Injury and Case Management.
• To review research proposals of members through a peer review process. To encourage a broad range of case managers to write and to promote the work of the membership.
• To encourage the membership to consider options for further formal education and/or to write regarding their practice.
• To support events that encourage and facilitate a diverse range of people looking to write for publication, ensuring any barriers to this are removed where possible.
• To explore use of social media and the BABICM website to disseminate current research of interest to members.