In order to begin the process that might lead eventually to the statutory regulation of psychotherapists, agreement will have to be reached between the mentalhealth disciplines and the psychotherapy institutions on a structure that can contain and govern the profession. To establish whether statutory registration is possible for the profession, talks should be held between the appropriate representatives of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, the British Psychological Society, the Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work, the Royal College of Nursing, the Tavistock Clinic, the Association of Child Psychotherapists, the British Confederation of Psychotherapists, the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy and the British Association for Counselling among others. If the nature of the profession is found to be such that a single containing structure cannot be created for it, then the protection of the public will have to be provided, as it is at the moment, by well-governed voluntary registers.