Monday 12 July 2010

Checking standards and integrity when choosing a training

I am so often asked (via email from the GICM's web enquiries option), what prospective infant massage teachers/baby yoga teachers etc, should look for in a training programme. Well, the bottom line is - check they are accredited by the GICM!

There are so many trainings on the market now that if they are truly worth undertaking, they will have taken steps to get the GICM kite mark. It is not expensive for any training provider to gain accredition, but they do have to have a course that meets the standards set by the Guild - easy for those who are offering professional programmes with all the essentials in place.

Don't be fooled by a lovely website, good marketing talk/text, or well placed kite marks, that when you look more closely you see that the course does not hold them, but the individual does. This simply shows that the person selling the course has attained relevant qualifications at grass-roots level, but does not mean that they have the experience and ability to develop a programme, or teach it (a minimum of the PTLLS is really a necessity and without it, insurance to train is not likely to be given).

Checking with the GICM will always give peace of mind. You know you have paid for a good course that stands you in good stead when you start working with parents and babies, if it has been accredited by the Guild.

2 Comments:

At 24 March 2011 at 02:44 , Blogger ~Michelle @ Don't Eat That Cookie~ said...

Can you provide any information on this subject for those of us in the USA? I'm just beginning my search and have found CEIM certifications, CIMT certifications, IAIM classes and CIMI. All courses are aimed at teaching students to become infant massage teachers. At this point I'm thinking it would just be easiest to go with the course that is at least offered in the same state :D
Is there an accredidating organization for infant massage classes in the US similar to the Guild?

 
At 29 June 2011 at 07:22 , Blogger Pauline Carpenter said...

Sorry to respond so late after your request for information. If you are still not sure about which course to do, check that the course does not include Indian Milking, that they do not advocate the use of essential oils and that the 14 recognised 'mechanism' for effect infant massage teaching are included (see Angela Underdown - Warwickshire University 2011 research on this, I can email it to you if you like). If you would like to coordinate a course for yourself and 15 others in the US, I can recommend The Touch-Learn International training www.touchlearn.co.uk. I used to run this company, but no more, but know that the trainings are still the best.

 

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