Pregnancy & Paediatrics Faculty CONTENTS Page Foreword 3 1. What is Chiropractic? 4 2. Chiropractic regulation in the UK 4 3. Chiropractic education in the UK 4 4. What is the Royal College of Chiropractors? 5 5. What is the RCC’s Pregnancy & Paediatrics Faculty? 5 6. What is the role of the RCC’s Pregnancy & Paediatrics Faculty? 6 7. Membership of the RCC’s Pregnancy & Paediatrics Faculty 6 8. What are the qualifications of chiropractors who manage children and pregnant women? 7 9. How do chiropractors care for children and pregnant women? 8 10. How do I find a chiropractor who provides care for children and pregnant women? 9 11. References 9 12. Further reading 10 Pregnancy & Paediatrics Faculty The Royal College of Chiropractors Foreword Each of the Specialist Faculties of the Royal College of Chiropractors provides a forum for developing the practice of chiropractic in a particular area of special interest. All chiropractors offer a patient-centred package of care that may include, but is not limited to, manual therapy (soft-tissue techniques, mobilisation and manipulation of the spine and joints), exercise rehabilitation and self-management advice, and utilise psychologically-informed programmes of care. However, effective care of patients through pregnancy and in the early years of life requires the development of specific knowledge and skills, and the Pregnancy and Paediatrics Faculty helps members of the Royal College develop these. It also promotes research so that the standard of care provided to patients is current, relevant and of the highest quality. Peter Dixon FRCC, President The Royal College of Chiropractors Page 3 Pregnancy & Paediatrics Faculty The Royal College of Chiropractors 1. What is chiropractic? The World Federation of Chiropractic (WFC) defines chiropractic as: ‘A health profession concerned with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system, and the effects of these disorders on the function of the nervous system and general health. There is an emphasis on manual treatments including spinal adjustment and other joint and soft-tissue manipulation’ (WFC, 2009). 2. Chiropractic regulation in the UK In the UK, the chiropractic profession is regulated by The General Chiropractic Council (GCC; www.gcc-uk.org), a statutory body established by The Chiropractors Act 1994. The title of 'chiropractor' is protected by law and it is a criminal offence for anyone to describe themselves as a chiropractor without being registered with the GCC. The GCC sets the standards for undergraduate education and the standards of chiropractic practice and professional conduct for individuals working as chiropractors. 3. Chiropractic education in the UK Chiropractic undergraduates train for 4-5 years to gain a GCC-accredited, university-validated MChiro or MSc degree, which enables them to apply to join the Chiropractic Register. Many chiropractors further their studies at postgraduate Masters level in areas of special interest, and some undertake professional doctorate or PhD studies. Page 4 Pregnancy & Paediatrics Faculty The Royal College of Chiropractors Page 5 Pregnancy & Paediatrics Faculty The Royal College of Chiropractors 4. What is The Royal College of Chiropractors? The Royal College of Chiropractors (RCC) is a Royal Chartered professional membership body and registered charity that promotes quality, safety and professionalism in chiropractic practice, research and postgraduate education (www.rcc-uk.org). The RCC has ~1500 UK members, and the following charitable objectives: • To promote the art, science and practice of chiropractic • To improve and maintain standards in the practice of chiropractic for the benefit of the public • To promote awareness and understanding of chiropractic among medical practitioners and other healthcare professionals and the public • To educate and train practitioners in the art, science and practice of chiropractic • To advance the study of and research in chiropractic 5. What is the RCC’s Pregnancy & Paediatrics Faculty? The RCC recognises areas of special interest and, where these areas are partnered with formal postgraduate study and/or special knowledge skills and experience, Specialist Faculties have been established of which the RCC’s Pregnancy & Paediatrics Faculty (https://rcc-uk.org/paediatrics-faculty/) is one. 6. What is the role of the RCC’s Pregnancy & Paediatrics Faculty? The RCC’s Pregnancy & Paediatrics Faculty has the following role in respect of the musculoskeletal (MSK) health of paediatric and pregnant patients: • To recognise the relevant experience and qualifications held by specialist faculty members • To support specialist faculty members in developing and extending skills and knowledge • To encourage continuing professional development and further study • To define, and provide education towards satisfying, core skills and competencies • To promote research, and to collate and disseminate key research findings, highlighting applications to practice • To engage with the wider healthcare community 7. Membership of the Pregnancy & Paediatrics Faculty There are three main levels of membership of the RCC’s Specialist Faculties: Licentiate, Member and Fellow (depending on the relevant Masters-level qualifications, or equivalent, gained). All Licentiates, Members and Fellows of the RCC’s Pregnancy & Paediatrics Faculty: • are chiropractors registered with the General Chiropractic Council (GCC); Page 6 Pregnancy & Paediatrics Faculty The Royal College of Chiropractors • carry professional indemnity and professional liability insurance as required by the GCC; • have developed further knowledge and skills in managing the care of children and pregnant women; • uphold the standards of practice established by the RCC. The level of a chiropractor’s Pregnancy & Paediatrics Faculty membership can be recognised by the letters after their name: LRCC (Paeds), MRCC (Paeds), FRCC (Paeds). Note that Associate membership of the RCC’s Pregnancy and Paediatrics Faculty is available to chiropractors who have a demonstrable interest in the field and wish to work towards achieving the necessary knowledge and skills. 8. What are the qualifications for chiropractors who manage children and pregnant women? The RCC’s Pregnancy and Paediatrics Faculty has defined the skills and competencies required for the musculoskeletal care of paediatric and pregnant patients. A corresponding professional development programme provides participants with the core knowledge and skills required to provide safe and effective care for these populations. Full completion of this programme confers eligibility to be a Member [MRCC (Paeds)] of the Faculty while Licentiate status [LRCC (Paeds)] corresponds with part completion. Fellowship [FRCC (Paeds)] is achieved by full completion of the programme plus additional relevant activity such as research, teaching or the award of relevant, formal qualifications. Page 7 Pregnancy & Paediatrics Faculty The Royal College of Chiropractors 9. How do chiropractors care for children and pregnant women? Chiropractors assess and triage patients, formulate a diagnosis and prognosis, provide a plan of management and where appropriate refer to, or co-manage patients with, other health care professionals. This process is undertaken as a collaboration with the patient/family, taking account of their needs and preferences. Chiropractors offer a wide range of interventions including, but not limited to, manual therapy (soft-tissue techniques, mobilisation and manipulation of the spine and joints), exercise rehabilitation and self-management advice, and utilise psychologically-informed programmes of care. In pregnancy, and particularly in paediatrics, manual therapy techniques are modified to accommodate the anatomy and physiology of the individual. The biomechanical forces and spinal differences of adults and children are well understood and are used to guide safety and clinical decisions for treating children and infants (Marchand, 2015). Like all healthcare professions, chiropractic is informed by an evolving evidence base and, as such, is in a constant state of development. A recent systematic review of manual therapies for children highlighted areas where the evidence is inconclusive or unclear and where more robust research is needed (Parnell Prevost et al, 2019). Chiropractors are well-placed to communicate public health messages in relation to both pregnancy and paediatrics and this is always done in line with Public Health England’s recommendations. Page 8 Pregnancy & Paediatrics Faculty The Royal College of Chiropractors Examples in pregnancy include promoting physical activity and healthy gestational weight gain, and supporting women to manage these issues. Examples in the paediatric population include providing information about breastfeeding, providing advice about physical activity for different age groups, and signposting to appropriate services. 10. How do I find a chiropractor who provides care for children and pregnant women? These individuals are listed in the online register of the RCC’s Pregnancy & Paediatrics Faculty. The register is publicly available on the RCC website: https://rcc-uk.org/paediatrics-faculty/ 11. References Marchand AM (2015) A proposed model with possible implications for safety and technique adaptations for chiropractic spinal manipulative therapy for infants and children. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 38 (9), 713-26. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmpt.2013.05.015 Parnell Prevost C, Bleberzon B, Carleo B, Anderson K, Cark M, Pohlman KA (2019) Manual therapy for the pediatric population: a systematic review. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine 19 (60). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-019-2447-2. World Federation of Chiropractic (2009) Definition of Chiropractic (accessed 15th May 2019). https://www.wfc.org/website/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=90 Page 9 Pregnancy & Paediatrics Faculty The Royal College of Chiropractors Next >