The ILCA mission is to advance the lactation consultant profession through leadership, advocacy, professional development and research. ILCA considers professional development to be the cornerstone of the association's services to members. ILCA's Educational Mission is to provide leadership in professional education for lactation consultants, to meet member needs for educational resources, and to facilitate communication related to educational goals and initiatives.
ILCA is committed to promoting evidence-based practice and providing resources for education and professional development through the Journal of Human Lactation, Standards of Practice for Lactation Consultants, Scope of Practice, Clinical Guidelines for the Establishment of Exclusive Breastfeeding, position statements, conferences, study modules, and other educational opportunities. All ILCA educational programs comply with the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes and its subsequent World Health Assembly resolutions.
ILCA is an official sponsor of the Lactation Education Accreditation and Approval Review Committee (LEAARC) on Education in Human Lactation and Breastfeeding. Information about accreditation is available on the LEAARC website at http://www.leaarc.org/.
ILCA encourages all providers of lactation education to meet the following criteria:
- Adhere to the profession's Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics.
- Adhere to the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes and its subsequent World Health Assembly resolutions.
- Include areas of the IBLCE® Blueprint.
- Support and promote ILCA membership and IBCLC® credential to students.
- Have an established process for developing and administering programs that adheres to standard business practices.
- Disclose commercial support and any potentially biasing factors resulting from that support.
- Furnish a supportive learning environment, learning resources, and a program planned and conducted by qualified individuals.
- Prepare graduates with the competencies necessary to provide safe, competent and ethical care in a variety of settings through a curriculum that incorporates current research findings and the best available evidence to guide lactation consulting practice.
- Have written learning outcomes based on identified needs, and methods to evaluate a participant's attainment of the specified learning outcomes.
- Issue certificates of completion to and record the participation of each individual who qualifies for the award of contact hours.
