People who are serious about childbirth education ususally undertake an accredited training course. At the present time, the Graduate Diploma in Childbirth Education, offered through ACE (Birth International) is the only accredited course in a Australia. It is recognised by hospitals, universities and many employers, some of whom use it to ensure that at least their coordinators of parenthood education programs have the qualifications needed to establish and maintain the hospital classes at a standard necessary for accreditation (for example).
It has been around for many years, growing out of the program first developed in 1977 and expanded by ACE in 1985. It was first accredited by VETAB in 1992. The full details can be found at http://www.birthinternational.com/graddip/index.html It is a distance learning program, designed to make it easy for people to complete the course no matter where they live, and we have students from several countries currently enrolled, including England, Scotland and Wales, Malaysia and Thailand. The workshop components of the course are offered in many locations, with the major workshop of 6 days scheduled for Sydney and London each year. There may be other shorter courses offered in Australia, but none have the assessment procedures necessary to ensure that those undertaking them have acquired skills and are competent as educators. Anyone with a tertiary qualification (in any field) can enrol, and there are mechanisms for recognition of prior learning and acceptance of 'special entry' students into the course. The fees are paid as you go (this course is very inexpensive compared with other Graduate Diplomas). If anyone wants more information, check out the website or email for more details: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Regards, Andrea > > Hi. Does anyone know how birth educators get educated? What >qualifications > > do they have? > > Thanks, Macha. > > ----- Andrea Robertson Birth International * ACE Graphics * Associates in Childbirth Education e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] web: www.birthinternational.com -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe.
