Adelaide 2017 1

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have unique healthcare needs that require a culturally sensitive approach. The use of baby massage can be a powerful tool for supporting the health and well-being of Aboriginal families, and there is a growing body of evidence to support its effectiveness. Certified Infant Massage Instructors and Paediatric Massage Consultants can play a valuable role in this process by providing expert guidance and support to parents and caregivers.

By incorporating massage into the care of newborns and young children, Aboriginal families can experience a range of benefits, including improved bonding, reduced stress and anxiety, enhanced sleep patterns, and improved digestion. Furthermore, incorporating traditional healing practices into massage sessions, such as the use of native plants and oils, can help to reconnect families with their cultural heritage and strengthen their sense of identity. 

Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander People Pregnancy Care 

Antenatal care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women requires a woman-centred approach that takes into account cultural beliefs, practices and needs. Respect for the individual views and beliefs of women and local communities is needed, and the way health professionals talk to women is of utmost importance, particularly for younger women. For women experiencing adverse events in their pregnancies, the reasons are diverse and occur throughout the life course, ranging from socioeconomic and health factors to lifestyle factors. Achieving culturally safe maternity services is crucial in improving health outcomes for Indigenous mothers and babies. The provision of culturally safe care requires a willingness to gain knowledge, understanding and skills to communicate sensitively and effectively with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and to acknowledge and respect cultural differences. Cultural safety is also relevant to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health professionals. 

Providing a comfortable and welcoming physical space, establishing rapport and trust, providing continuity of care, ensuring privacy and confidentiality, involving the partner or father of the baby, having knowledge about the woman's community, and having flexible scheduling of appointments can improve a woman's experience of antenatal care. Cultural awareness education programs and tools for evaluating individual and organisational cultural responsiveness have been developed. Successful models of antenatal care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women include midwifery group practice and continuity of midwifery care, with evidence showing improved cultural safety, experiences and outcomes related to Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander People pregnancy and birth. Baby massage can be a beneficial addition to antenatal care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, with the support of Certified Infant Massage Instructors and Paediatric Massage Consultants.

It is important for support workers who work with Aboriginal families to understand the potential benefits of baby massage and to seek out appropriate training and support to provide this service in a culturally sensitive manner.

First Nations People Health Services NSW

Are you interested in working with new First Nations families and helping them care for their little ones? Our baby massage courses in Sydney are perfect for anyone wanting to support new parents in their physical interaction with their babies. Our courses cover everything you need to know to teach parents massage and touch therapy for infants.

With over 60,000 babies born every year in the Greater Sydney area over the last 5 years, learning how to teach safe and effective infant massage in Sydney is an excellent choice for those looking for flexible, rewarding work with babies and their families.

Our courses are held at 169 Castlereagh Street, Sydney from August 18-20, 2023, from 9am to 5pm each day. If you have any questions about our baby massage courses or how learning this therapeutic skill can help you work with First Nations families, please don"t hesitate to contact us.

Getting started with us is easy - we offer two pathways to becoming a certified infant massage instructor depending on whether you hold related qualifications or will study baby massage as something new. There are no prerequisites for the instructor-level qualification, and you can choose from an at-home, online self-paced course or face-to-face sessions with an experienced trainer.

For those who already work in health, allied health, natural therapies, or early childhood education, our Sydney infant massage classes can provide you with a qualification as a Paediatric Massage Consultant, allowing you to further expand your offering to new parents and their babies.

Course Fees

Certified Infant Massage Instructor (CIMI) qualification prices range from $1125 - $1650. This qualification has no prerequisite requirements.

Paediatric Massage Consultant (PMC) qualification prices range from $1485 to $2010. To apply for the paediatric level qualification, students must have a prior qualification in health, allied health, natural therapies, or early childhood education.

We offer various enrollment package options, and interest-free payment plans are available. Please refer to our Fee Structure for more information.

Learning Outcomes

By the conclusion of the course, you will be able to:

  • Prepare an appropriate environment to demonstrate touch therapy and massage techniques to First Nations parents.
  • Provide clear, easy-to-follow demonstrations for First Nations parents on touch therapy and massage strokes for infants and older children.
  • Understand potential stress signals displayed during massage in addition to massage contraindications for infants and children.
  • Answer common questions regarding infant massage and provide correct and current advice on topics directly related to massage with infants (for example, oil recommendations, massage timing etc).

We provide onsite baby massage training for First Nations staff, or we can arrange a venue if needed. Staff training is provided for First Nations organisations, charities, government bodies, and area health services. Our training for your team is usually completed as a 2-day program; however, individual needs and outcomes are reviewed so that a tailored program and quote can be formulated for each staff training request.

We are committed to providing accessible and culturally safe baby massage courses for professionals who work to support First Nations People in NSW. Please contact us at 1300 558 608 or email 

hello@babymassage.net.au to learn more about our first people pregnancy resources that can help new parents begin learning about baby massage during their pregnancy.

First Nations People Support Services SA

If you"re interested in working with new First Nations families and aiding them with their new baby, then our baby massage courses in Adelaide are perfect for you. Whether you already work in a related field or have a genuine passion for helping new parents and their babies, our courses are open to everyone.

With an average of about 20,000 births consistently recorded in South Australia, the demand for infant massage for First Nations families in Adelaide is steadily growing. Gain a professionally recognised qualification with our baby massage courses and begin working as a certified infant massage instructor in South Australia.

We offer two types of courses: the Certified Infant Massage Instructor course and the Paediatric Massage Consultant certification. To apply, simply fill out an application form via post or email, or enrol online.

Our courses are held at 55 Frome St, Adelaide from June 23 to 25, 2023, from 9am to 5pm each day. If you have any questions about our baby massage courses or how learning this therapeutic skill can help you work with First Nations families, please don't hesitate to contact us.

Course Fees

Certified Infant Massage Instructor (CIMI) qualification prices range from $1125 - $1650. This qualification has no prerequisite requirements.

Paediatric Massage Consultant (PMC) qualification prices range from $1485 - $2010. To apply for the paediatric level qualification, students must have a prior qualification in health, allied health, natural therapies or early childhood education.

Interest-free payment plans are available. Please refer to the course fee table for more information.

Learning Outcomes

By the conclusion of the course, you will be able to:

  • Prepare an appropriate environment to demonstrate touch therapy and massage techniques to First Nations parents.
  • Provide clear, easy-to-follow demonstrations for First Nations parents on touch therapy and massage strokes for infants and older children.
  • Understand potential stress signals displayed during massage in addition to massage contraindications for infants and children.
  • Answer common questions regarding infant massage and provide correct and current advice on topics directly related to massage with infants (for example, oil recommendations, massage timing etc).

We provide onsite baby massage training for staff who provide Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander support services SA-wide to First Nations families, or we can arrange a venue for off-site training upon request.

Staff training is provided for First Nations organisations, charities, government bodies, and area health services. Our training for your team is usually completed as a 2-day program; however, individual needs and outcomes are reviewed so that a personalised program and quote can be formulated for each staff training request.

We also offer our 3-day intensive baby massage courses in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Adelaide, and Perth. If you can't attend our training sessions in person, we offer correspondence study with practical tasks completed via video submissions assessed by the IMIS training team.

At Infant Massage Information Service (IMIS), we are committed to providing accessible and culturally safe baby massage courses for professionals who work to support First Nations People in South Australia. Please contact us at 1300 558 608 or email hello@babymassage.net.au to learn more about our first people pregnancy resources that can help new parents begin learning about baby massage during their pregnancy.

First Nations People Health Services VIC

If you are passionate about your role in working with infants, children and their families in a First Nations community, the Infant Massage Information Service (IMIS) can assist you in expanding the support services you offer through onsite baby massage training for your staff. Staff training can be provided onside at Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health services Vic-wide or a venue can be arranged if needed.

We provide training for First Nations organisations, area health services, government bodies, charities and teams who work with infants and/or older children and their families in Melbourne.

Our staff training programs can be tailored to meet the specific needs of First Nations communities in Melbourne. We understand the importance of cultural safety and our trainers are able to work with staff to ensure training is culturally appropriate and respectful of local customs, values, and beliefs.

Our staff training programs are usually completed over a two-day period, but we review individual needs and outcomes to develop a personalised program and quote for each staff training request. Email hello@babymassage.net.au or call 1300 558 608 to enquire.

Course Fees

The cost of the Certified Infant Massage Instructor (CIMI) qualification ranges from $1125 to $1650. This qualification has no prerequisite requirements and is ideal for those who want to become a qualified baby massage instructor.

The Paediatric Massage Consultant (PMC) qualification is ideal for healthcare professionals or professionals working in related fields such as allied health, natural therapies, or early childhood education. The cost for this qualification ranges from $1485 to $2010. To apply for this paediatric-level qualification, students must have a prior qualification in health, allied health, natural therapies, or early childhood education.

We offer various enrolment package options to suit different needs and budgets, and interest-free payment plans are available. For more information on our course fees and enrollment options, please refer to our Fee Structure page.

Learning outcomes

By the conclusion of training, participants will be able to:

  • Prepare an appropriate environment to demonstrate touch therapy and massage techniques to parents in First Nations communities in Victoria.
  • Provide clear, easy-to-follow demonstrations for parents on touch therapy and massage strokes for infants and older children, respecting cultural protocols and sensitivities specific to Victoria’s First Nations communities.
  • Understand potential stress signals displayed during massage in addition to massage contraindications for infants and children in First Nations communities in Victoria.
  • Answer common questions regarding infant massage and provide correct and current advice on topics directly related to massage with infants (for example, oil recommendations and massage timing, etc.) in the context of First Nations communities in Victoria.

If a personalised program or onsite training isn"t suitable for your team, staff members are able to attend one of our 3-day intensive baby massage courses in Melbourne.

If training dates and locations are not suitable, training can be completed via correspondence study. For correspondence study, practical tasks are completed via video submissions assessed by the IMIS training team.

Please contact us at 1300 558 608 or email hello@babymassage.net.au to learn more about our first people pregnancy resources that can help new parents begin learning about baby massage during their pregnancy.

Our staff members are passionate about helping staff who support First Nations communities in VIC to develop skills and knowledge in infant massage. We understand the cultural significance of touch in First Nations communities and are committed to providing respectful and culturally appropriate training to meet the specific needs of each community we work with in Victoria.

Enquire today to learn how we can work with your team to provide safe and effective infant massage services to families you support in First Nations communities in VIC.