Top Five Reasons People Train with IAIM

Do you know the top five reasons why health and early childhood professionals choose to become a Certified Infant Massage Instructor (CIMI) with IAIM?

#1 - We value the work you do with babies and families (and so does the community) - our Instructors are eligible for financial support to run their classes

Because IAIM is the only infant massage charity in Australia, and the most well-respected program across the world, we receive grants, funding and donations to run infant massage classes in the community.

This means Instructors who are qualified and registered with IAIM are eligible to receive financial support to run infant massage classes. (So far this year we have already received cash and in-kind donations to a value of over $200,000 to support the work of our Instructors!)

#2 - Our training program is widely endorsed, respected and supported

Our CIMI Training Program has been reviewed, endorsed and recognised by numerous professional associations. Health professionals who are members of the following associations are entitled to claim recognition for Continuing Professional Education by completing our CIMI Training program:
~Royal College of Nursing Australia (3LP)
~ Australian College of Midwives (MidPlus)
~ The Australian Association of Social Workers
~ The Australian Counselling Association
~ Occupational Therapy Australia (AccOT)
~ Australian Natural Therapists Association

The IAIM training program has also been reviewed and/ or accredited, and all IAIM Instructors are eligible to apply for membership to:
~ The Australian Association of Infant Mental Health
~ The International Institute of Complementary Therapists

This means that Instructors who train (or re-train) with IAIM have the opportunity to complete an industry-recognised and professionally endorsed certification that contributes directly your professional development and standing.

However, we view formal endorsements as only one way in your Instructor certification should be recognised.

For this reason, not only is our CIMI Training program formally endorsed, accredited and accepted by reputable organisations such as those listed above, but IAIM is also actively supported in many other ways by numerous, well-known organisations all over Australia. These partnerships include, for example, sharing of information and resources, and joint projects. These diverse partnerships promote greater awareness of the high quality of the IAIM Infant Massage program, and improved access by families to our Certified Instructors.

#3. Your certification is immediately recognised in over 50 countries

By training with IAIM, you can avoid costly re-training fees when you travel and work overseas. This is because IAIM offers the only Australian infant massage training where your certification is immediately recognised in over 50 countries. This is particularly important if you are a registered nurse, midwife, psychologist, social worker or home visitor travelling to Europe, and specifically the UK where infant massage is an integral component of the British government’s Sure Start program:

If teaching infant massage with the Sure Start program (like many early intervention programs overseas), certification by a recognised infant massage organisation is mandatory. The IAIM offers the only certification training in Australia that is also recognised by the UK government’s Sure Start programs (see an example Infant Massage policy from Sure Start program).

#4. We take your training seriously

The IAIM infant massage program is a professional, researched, relationship-based intervention. We take this certification very seriously. In order to work effectively and safely with both well parents, and those in distress, requires a thorough understanding of the IAIM infant massage program and the theory that underpins it.

For this reason, we don't have fancy gimmicks or offer shortcuts in order to fast-track large volumes of students through our instructor training program. Having the skill and the confidence to deliver a quality infant massage class requires much more than paying a fee, watching a few videos, and being issued with a piece of paper. We believe our students (not to mention parents & babies!) deserve the highest quality instructor training program possible.

When you train with IAIM you will receive the whole, comprehensive, evidence-based program in your course. There are no "extra courses" to take or extra fees to pay. You will receive a full program that provides you, up front, with the knowledge and skills that you will need to deliver the IAIM program in accordance with our internationally accepted protocols. In short, you receive the highest standard of training available in Australia.

We take your training so seriously, because our reputation is important to us. By protecting our reputation, this in turn means that your reputation as an Instructor is not tarnsihed, but protected and upheld because you belong to a whole network of Instructors who have consistently high standards.

#5. We offer the only researched infant massage program in Australia

Many people are aware that Infant Massage is supported by a significant body of research and evidence that is on a par with many commonly used interventions and programs. But did you know that most of the research in infant massage has actually been conducted specifically using the IAIM protocols and program?

That’s right. There’s no consistent body of evidence behind other methods or approaches to learning infant massage. In fact, the IAIM program is the only infant massage training available in Australia that has a strong body of research and evaluation conducted by independent medical and scientific researchers. We remain the program of choice for practitioners (and parents) for whom evidence is important.

Want more reasons to train with IAIM? Here they are:

We offer outstanding follow-up support and member benefits as a student and once qualified

In fact, once discovering what we offer, many health workers choose to re-train with IAIM. As well as being able to apply for funding and financial assistance to run your infant massage classes, IAIM Instructors have access to an unprecedented number of supports including:

~ High quality & significantly discounted continuing education with experts from Australia and overseas;

~ Recognition for membership to other associations and organisations;

~ Access to a comprehensive library of full-text research papers on topics related to infant massage including infant mental health, attachment, child development, post-natal depression, disability, parent education, and many other topics;

~ Membership to an organisation that undertakes national initatives, campaigns and activities to promote the infant massage in the community;

~ The opportunity to network within an organisation that not only has Certified Infant Massage Instructors as members, but also many other health, community, education and research professionals; and

~ Becoming part of an organisation that offers many opportunities for participating in exciting projects that benefit all corners of our community.

Enrol Today!