OBJECTIVES AND AIMS:

The Irish Association for CranioSacral Therapy (IACST) is dedicated to creating a strong CST community in Ireland.

Our aims are to:

1. To promote CranioSacral Therapy in Ireland
2. To provide information about CranioSacral Therapy
3. To maintain a register of practitioners
4. To set and maintain standards of qualification and practice.

There are two classifications of Membership

1.      Associate membership - which is also open to persons with an interest in this therapy

2.      Certified membership - which is open to members who have passed their certificate examination.

The Management Committee

1. The Management Committee shall manage the affairs of the Association

2 The Management Committee Shall consist of:
Chairperson, Treasurer, Secretary and Ordinary Members of up to 12 persons in totaland may also consist of Vice-Chairperson, Vice-Secretary and Education Officer.

3. Each position shall be filled annually by election at the annual general meeting; the maximum duration shall be of three years in any one position.

4. The management committee may, at any time, co-opt up to four other members to perform specific duties. Such members shall not have voting rights on the management committee.

5. The Management committee may appoint sub committees, one place on which shall be occupied by a member of the management committee. Members of sub-committees, other than those who serve on the management committee, shall not be entitled to vote on the management committee.

6. The management committee may remove from office any elected or co-opted member who consistently fails to carry out the duties for which they were elected or co-opted, or who brings the committee or the association into disrepute. Such member shall have the right to make representation to the committee, after which a vote shall be taken. A two-thirds majority shall be required to carry the motion.

7. The Chairperson and/or an appointed Public Relations Officer is/are the sole spokesperson/s for the Association

8. In the event that the Association has to be wound up, the assets remaining after all debts have been discharged shall be donated to a charity.

Advertising and Public Relations

1. All advertising, public relations and publishing, including management of the web site, shall be directed and approved by the management committee.

2. The Secretary's address shall be the official address of the Association.

3. All correspondence shall be on association headed paper.

4. All correspondence, press releases etc. shall be released through the Secretary's office.

CODE OF ETHICS

The code attempts to provide guidance by way of a standard of attitude, understanding and therefore behaviour.
The code assumes that members run their practices legally and professionally.

1. The members undertake to treat their patients/clients, their patient's families and their own colleagues with respect, compassion and equality with respect to age, beliefs, disability, gender and race.

2. No practitioner has a duty to treat anyone who comes to him or her. The ethical practitioner will be clear about the limits of his/her responsibilities, as well as what they need to maintain a good practice and take care of himself/herself.

3. When involved in referral members will be careful:
     a) to provide adequate information to the referee practitioner together with clear terms of reference, and
     b) to be clear with their patient/client about the purpose and expectations of referring them.

4. Respect for the self-healing principle leads to the acceptance that one person cannot heal or cure another, only that by the responsible application of techniques or other help, or by the quality of their presence, the practitioner may help remove inhibitions to or otherwise support the patient's self-healing.

5. It is the duty of the practitioner to encourage appropriate optimism.

6. The patient/practitioner relationship and its details will remain confidential between patient and practitioner except only where the patient has given clear consent, and such consent should be recorded.

7. Unless the practitioner is legally qualified to work with juveniles, their responsible adult will accompany all patients under the legal age during visits

8. The practitioner will provide a non-judgmental environment, which respects the patient's beliefs and admits them as part of the therapeutic process.

PROCEDURE OF PRACTICE

1. All members must be insured in order to practice.

2. Voting for members of the Management Committee is by show of hands at the annual general meeting. On any constitutional change a voting of two-thirds majority of those present is required. On other matters a simple majority is sufficient.

3. There is no provision for proxy votes.

4. Postal votes are accepted for Management Committee before or on the date of the AGM.

5. Admission to the Association is at the discretion of the Management Team.

6. Membership fees are set by the Management Committee and are payable no later than 31st October.  Other funding may be raised by sponsorship. The AGM is held on the 2nd Saturday in October.  Membership will run from 1st November - 31st October.

7. Decisions about any matters affecting the Constitution will be made at the AGM or EGM in a democratic manner. Notice of General Meetings and Constitutional changes requires notice of details of not less than six weeks. Decisions other than the above are the responsibility of the Management Team.

8. There will be at least four meetings per year of the Management Committee.

COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE

If you would care to make a complaint about a member of the Irish Association for CranioSacral Therapy, please read and make the relevant steps without undue delay.

1. The information is confidential unless

   a) You give permission to approach the member in question, and or

   b) The Association has to disclose information with regard to a legal matter/or breach of the law

2. Set out the nature of the complaint in writing and any relevant information/documentation. Address the correspondence to: The Secretary, Irish Association for CranioSacral Therapy

3. The complaint will be brought before the Management Committee for Consideration.

4. The Management Committee shall seek the views of the Member Concerned and request it in writing.

5. If necessary, the Management Committee shall interview both sides in a manner appropriate to the complaint - and shall thereafter consider a course of action.

6. The outcome of their deliberations will be made known to both parties, in writing, and restorative actions advised.

7. In the event that the situation persists and the Management Committee is satisfied that the fault lies entirely with the Member, the Management Committee will consider withdrawing the Member's name from the List of Practitioners.

8. Written record of the entire proceedings to be kept on file.

Complaints Procedure

Where a Practitioner suspects non-professional behaviour by another Therapist and that this behaviour is of a grave nature, the procedure is to report the matter to the Management Committee in writing.

The information, which is given to the Association, will remain confidential unless there is a legal requirement or behaviour in breach of the law.

The Practitioner under investigation will be informed to suspend their practice until an investigation takes place.

If the investigation establishes a frivolous breach of safe practice or ethics then the Complainant will have their name removed from the Register for a period to be decided by the Management Committee.

Safety Statement

Members of the Practitioner Register undertake good and safe practice in their therapy rooms and elsewhere, especially in regard to children.

A parent or guardian must be present for persons of less than the legal age, or the equivalent in the case of persons with delayed development.

If it comes to the attention of any Practitioner that such an approach is not being observed by another Practitioner, it then becomes the responsibility of the Practitioner who has that information to bring it to the Management Team.

The Management Team will then seek a letter of good character from the Practitioner in question, to be provided by An Garda Siochana.