Lodging a Complaint about the Conduct of an IBCLC

IBLCE Conduct Complaint Form

IBCLCs shall act in a manner that justifies public trust in their competence, enhances the reputation of the profession, and safeguards the interests of individual clients.  The International Board Certified Lactation Consultant is personally accountable for her/his practice and, in the exercise of professional accountability, is expected to uphold all principles of ethical practice outlined in the Code of Ethics. 

To protect the credential and to assure responsible practice by its certificants, the IBLCE depends on members of the coordinating and supervising health professions, employers, clients, IBCLCs and the public to report incidents which may require action by the IBLCE Ethics and Discipline Committee.  Only signed, written complaints based on first-hand knowledge of the alleged violation will be considered. 
The person making the complaint (the complainant) must:

» Provide a full explanation of the alleged violation, with supporting details

» Have first-hand knowledge of the conduct in question, as the IBLCE will become involved only in matters that can be factually determined

» Identify which of the principles of ethical practice allegedly breached.

The IBCLC against whom the complaint is being made (the respondent) will be notified of the complaint, along with a copy of the complaint. The respondent will be given the opportunity to respond to the complaint in a professional and legally defensible manner.

A designated reviewer from IBLCE’s Ethics and Discipline Committee is appointed to investigate each complaint and to present the facts of the case to the committee.  The deliberations of the committee are confidential and adhere to legal due process procedures. 

Once a determination is made, the complainant and the respondent are notified of the outcome.  If the alleged violation is upheld, the committee may impose sanctions ranging from a private reprimand to permanent revocation of certification. 

For more information, please see the IBLCE Procedures for Discipline and Code of Ethics for International Board Certified Lactation Consultants.

Complaints which appear to fit the scope of the Discipline Committee’s responsibilities should be sent to:

Chair, Ethics and Discipline Committee
IBLCE
7245 Arlington Blvd, Suite 200
Falls Church, VA 22042-3217 USA