SHAI Code of Practice for Training Providers

This Code of Practice is designed to define and maintain integrity in the quality standards for therapeutic sound profession in Ireland.   Our industry standards have been developed in compliance with regulatory requirements and international standards for best practice in complementary therapies.

All SHAI Approved Training Providers have declared to abide by and uphold our Code of Practice as follows:

1.0 Advertising and Promotion

1.1 Advertising in relation to your professional activities must be accurate and truthful.

1.3.1 Must not describe themselves, their Trainer(s) or the course(s) they offer, falsely in a manner to mislead the public. 

1.3.2 Advertisements must not be misleading, false, unfair or exaggerated. 

1.3.3 No self-declared claims (eg. unsupported by evidence) that your personal skills, equipment or facilities are better than anyone else’s.

1.2 No false claims of accreditation with any professional body if they are not a member of, including the use of accreditation Logos belonging to a professional body which they are not accredited with.

2.0  Training Providers Must

2.1 Be recognised as a legal entity.

2.2 Ensure that all Tutors are adequately qualified in Workplace Training and Assessment for teaching adults, and

2.3 Have a minimum of 2 (two) years experience as a practitioner of the subject(s) being taught and

2.4 Have a minimum of 3 (three) years experience as a workplace trainer and teacher of adults on commencement of teaching practitioners and

2.5 Hold professional indemnity/therapy insurance for clinical practice and teaching and

2.6 Hold a minimum of 2 (two) accreditations with industry bodies representing Sound Therapy and Complementary Therapies in their registered country of business and

2.7 Always be respectful and courteous to each other.

2.8 Provide the option for card payment of enrolment and tuition fees.

3.0  Outdoor training

3.1 Ensure compliance with all statutory requirements.

4.0 Clinical Practice

4.1 Operate a Clinic where they practice what they teach with clients on a regular basis

4.2 Operate from a commercial building which meets minimum building design codes for safety and amenity including for minimum ceiling height.

5.0 Practitioner Qualifications Offered

5.1 All training for practitioner qualifications be instructor-led.  This can be achieved in person or online.  Instructional videos are not permitted unless minimum instructor-led hours are also met.

5.2 Instructor-led tuition hours must equal or exceed required number of in-class practical and home study hours.

5.2 The Training Provider must provide printed & professionally bound manuals / class workbooks for learners to keep.

6.0 Professional Conduct – Must Not

6.1 Provide training in any modality which the trainer does not meet the minimum qualifications and requirements stated above.

6.2 Exploit or discriminate against any student in any way.

6.4 Change any enrolment conditions and/or prerequisites requirements after commencement of study without the fully informed consent of the learner and be fairly negotiated, ie. giving the learner the option to agree or disagree.  Any change of enrolment contract which puts any learner at a disadvantage is forbidden.  The option of a full refund of fees paid plus reimbursement of all ancilliary costs incurred by the learner must be provided as an option with any change in enrolment conditions. 

7.0 Dress Code and Standards

7.1 Dress in a professional manner at all times

7.2 Behave with decorum, propriety and common decency at all times

7.6 Respect the learner’s wishes and learning needs at all times.

7.7 Respect the beliefs and views of the learner at all times.

8.0 Qualifications Awarded

8.1  Training in Clinical Practice: Must be at least 5 days of instructor-led training,or equal or better, sufficient to teach the required level of knowledge and skills, and to assess competency.

8.2. Instructor-led study hours in class must equal or exceed minimum number of home study hours.

8.3. Include the History of Sound Healing, the health Benefits,, Contraindications, and methods of Application.

8.4. Include the relevant Anatomy & Physiology of healing with sound delivered as part of the instructor-led class.  (Providing the learner with reading to do at home is not adequate)

8.5. Implement at least two different assessment methods.

8.6. Require the submission of a minimum of 32 client case study treatments as the final learner assessment, sufficient to demonstrate competency.

8.7. Must award a “Certificate” of Acheivement/Attainment which accurately and concisely describes the level of training, the method of training, standard of competency achieved by the learner and assessment method(s) used to determine competency.

9.0 The Job Title of Sound Therapist

9.1. A member may not use the job title of Sound Therapist unless:

a) They hold a certificate in Anatomy, Physiology of at least 15 hours duration of study or

b) Hold a qualification in Allopathic Medicine or a Complementary Therapy which either includes training in Anatomy & Physiology and/or already gives them a job title which includes the word “Therapist”.

10.0 Clinical Supervision

10.1 Practitioner training must include the number of clinical supervision hours sufficient to assess competence to the level of training undertaken.

10.2. Clinical supervision hours must be undertaken in a simulated clinic environment, including therapy table or plinth.

10.3  A Training Provider must not allow a student practitioner to undertake any unsupervised clinical practice outside the classroom (case study treatments) unless their in-class practitioner training is fully completed, including required clinical supervision hours and the trainee is therefore competency assessed to the standard of a fully qualified practitioner.

11.0 Ongoing Compliance

11.1   All Training Provider agree to comply with the SHAI Training Provider Code of Practice now and in the future, for the benefit of the public, by maintaining quality standards for the practice and training of Therapeutic Sound and Sound Therapy Practitioners in Ireland.

12.0 Online Training

In keeping with international standards for tuition in complementary therapies, we have the following best practice requirements for online training:

12.1. Online tuition for clinical practice and working in groups must be instructor-led.

12.2  Online instructor-led tuition hours for clinical practice may not exceed the number of in-person training hours.

12.3  100% of clinical practice supervision hours must be in-person.

12.4  Self-paced online tuition is only permitted for CPD short courses (Continued Professional Development) completed by existing members of SHAI.

Reporting a Concern:  A concern should be reported to SHAI without delay, so that appropriate action can be taken to remedy the concern.  Your anonymity is guaranteed at all times.

A SHAI Approved Training Provider found to be in breach of one or more of the above requirements will receive a warning with 28 days to comply.

Please contact us with any questions you might have, we will work with you to assist you to meet the requirements.  If you don’t have a recognised qualification for teaching adults, we can recommend a recognised Holistic Therapist Train the Trainer qualification.

Become a SHAI Approved Training Provider today!