If you select an accredited diploma option for training, the courses are generally approved and verified through one or more accrediting bodies.
This enables you to obtain insurance and practice professionally with SOME insurance companies.
If you already have therapist insurance, you can inform them who the qualification is accredited by and check with them first BEFORE you enrol on a course, to ensure that your insurance company recognises the accredited qualification and will insure you once you have qualified.
Each course will be accredited with one or more accrediting bodies below, please check with the course provider to see who they are accredited / verified by, before you sign up.
Our courses list who our accrediting bodies are for each course listed on the course information page.
We ALWAYS recommend any students enquiring about a course, that they check with their insurer before they enrol with us. We would hate for someone enrolling on a course and later finding out their insurance company, or professional membership will not cover them to practice when they qualify.
Who would want that headache? I know i wouldn't.
Whether you enrol on a course with us, or any training provider, we urge you to check this first.
Most accredited courses involve one or two day practical attendance and then the study of the training manual at home along with a question paper to answer and possibly a few case studies to complete in order to receive a certificate.
There are also online accredited courses to choose from. What are these? Online courses are also generally accredited and involve distant learning and possible submission of case studies to complete the course, some involved assessment by video also. Not all insurance companies or professional memberships will cover you for online courses, and whilst we offer online learning, many people feel this cannot replace the hands on practical learning, and is therefore not suitable for everyone's style of learning.
It is imperative that you choose a style of learning that suits you, and that enables you to be able to practice your new skills professionally once you have completed the course.
ALWAYS check that the accrediting body are recognised by your insurance company. OR, there are insurance companies you can choose that will cover you for your style of learning once qualified, i.e., online courses.
In summary, what to consider:
Are you employed or self-employed?
What level of qualification does your employer require?
Who are you currently insured with?
What specifications does your insurance company have in order to cover you for insurance? You MUST check with your insurers before enrolling on a course to ensure you book onto the right course for you, and that you will be insured to work professionally, once qualified.
How quickly do you want to qualify?
Some courses require more work and practical attendance.
Accrediting Bodies
Here are some accrediting bodies that you may come across when searching for courses:
We are accredited by the following accrediting bodies:
* ABT Insurance (Associated Beauty Therapists) - www.abtinsurance.co.uk
* PBD (Professional Beauty Direct) - www.professionalbeauty.com
* IICT (International Institute for Complementary Therapists) - www.iict.co.uk
* IPHM (International Practitioners of Holistic Medicine) - https://www.iphm.co.uk/
* The CMA (Complementary Medical Association) - www.the-cma.org.uk
Here are some further accrediting bodies, we are not accredited with these, this list is not exhaustive, but the ones listed are the more well known in the industry, there are more, but this is to just give you an idea of who & what is out there:
* FHT (Federation of Holistic Therapists) - https://www.fht.org.uk/
* BABTAC (British Association of Beauty Therapy & Cosmetology) - https://www.babtac.com/
* The Beauty Guild - https://www.beautyguild.com/
* British Beauty Group - https://britishbeautygroup.co.uk/home
* The BIA (Beauty Industry Approval) - https://www.beautyindustryapproval.com/
To name a few . . . .
Many of the above accrediting bodies would not only provide accreditation to courses, but would also provide therapists with professional insurance and some also provide a membership too.
It is highly recommended that you shop around to find the best insurance & / or membership for you and your business needs.
Not only are the above able to provide you with insurance, but there are a number of companies who can provide solely professional insurance, if you are not looking for membership. Here are a few, again, the list is not exhaustive:
* Westminster Indemnity - https://uk.westminster.global/?Introducer=8004
* Wellbeing Insurance - https://wellbeinginsurance.co.uk
* Balens - https://www.balens.co.uk/
* Salon Gold - www.salongold.co.uk
* BGi Insurance - https://bgi.uk.com/health-and-wellbeing/
* Towergate Insurance - https://www.towergateinsurance.co.uk/
SO, here is a recap on what to do when you are unsure whether to sign up to a course:
* Check with the training provider, who the course is accredited by? Or check their website on the course information page (all our courses have a course information page on our website, which will tell you who the course is accredited by)
* If you already have therapist insurance, check with them that they will insure you once qualified, they will probably ask who the course is accredited with, and may also ask how the course is delivered (i.e., how many practical training days, are their case studies to complete?)
* If you do not already have therapist insurance, make some enquiries BEFORE you enrol so you know which insurers / bodies you will use once qualified
* If you are employed, check with your employer that the qualification you will gain, will be suitable, i.e., some employers may require you to hold a national recognised qualification, such as a VRQ, NVQ, City & Guilds or ITEC, for example. These are exam boards, and are government regulated courses, please check out my other blog on these styles of courses.
* Do you feel the course is comprehensive enough for you to learn the therapy and be able to practice it once qualified?
I hope this has helped you to understand the jargon involved when signing up to a course. I wish i knew all of this when i first started out in the industry. It is a minefield, but we are hear to answer any questions you may have.
Thank you for reading :-)
Karen xx