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Dear TCTC Members,

It is with sad news that we must convey that Emerald have recently decided to cease publishing the International Journal for Therapeutic Communities with effect in December 2025.  

We understand that this will be disappointing and please be assured that the TCTC Board have tried multiple approaches to extend this deadline and explore alternative options with Emerald to continue the Journal in its current format.  

Emerald’s decision follows several years of low submissions to the Journal.  Emerald requires 20-30 publications a year and the TC Journal has performed well below this for many years.  Given the current financial squeeze on many organisations, including publishing, Emerald made the decision to cease publishing the Journal.  They have been at pains to express that the TC Journal is not the only small journal in this position being closed at this time.  

This news was particularly disappointing as we have been working for some months to increase submissions to the Journal and support the peer review process.  However, we expect to build on this work as the TCTC Board seek alternative options to continue to Journal, which are outlined below.  

• The TCTC Board have agreed to buy back the Journal for a nominal fee and will retain the copyright to the Journal’s title, giving us flexibility as to next steps.   
• In the immediate period, the Mental Health Review Journal, with Editor-in-Chief Professor Mark Freestone, have agreed to publish a Special Issue dedicated to TCs in 2026.  This Special Issue will host those papers currently in the TC Journal system that were unable to be accepted by the short deadline set by Emerald for the final TC issue.  
• Other longer-term options under review include continuing with a yearly TC Special Issue with MHRJ and TCTC publishing an online version of the Journal.  TCTC are actively exploring the opportunities and implications of self-publication.  There is support from the Chair of TCTC and several Board Members to pursue this as the long-term plan for the Journal.
• Going forward, it is likely that the Journal’s focus will change and may include a greater emphasis on practice-based work and lived experience alongside traditional research and evaluation. 
  

Whilst the final issue of the Journal under Emerald is due out at the end of the year, we remain optimistic that the Journal will continue in some form and that this is not ‘the end’!  We have the Special issue coming out in 2026 under MHRJ and we look forward to the next chapter of TC research, reflection, and discussion with you.  

Best wishes,

Dr Jenelle Clarke, IJTC Editor in Chief (Jenelle.clarke@bbk.ac.uk)
Dr Chris Nicholson, Chair, TCTC Board (cnich@essex.ac.uk)