Regulatory Structures

Page 1 Regulatory Structures Introduction This title outlines the four main types of regulatory approaches or structures involved in regulating professions. Historically, professional associations were the primary regulators of professions through ‘selfregulation’. However, increasingly, government has intervened, initially through direct regulation. More recently, it has been through ‘co-regulation’, where the professional association has a formal legislated role, or ‘meta-regulation’, involving more indirect, multitiered or principles-based regulation allowing for greater flexibility.1 Contemporary regulatory structures tend to involve a combination of these approaches.