The Aim; Provide The First Internationally Recognized Certification in Healthcare Clowning
A Credential That Means Something.
Everywhere.
Until now, healthcare clowning has had no internationally portable credential. Practitioners cannot demonstrate their competence in a way that is recognised across borders, institutions, or healthcare systems. Employers have no benchmark. Patients have no assurance.
IAHC certification is being built to change that. The IAHC-CP credential will be assessed against a rigorous, evidence-informed Standards of Practice, reviewed by a peer panel of certified practitioners, not a commercial body. It will be the mark of a practitioner who has met the global standard.
Whether you are a therapeutic clown seeking professional recognition, a hospital building a clowning program, or a funder evaluating a proposal, IAHC certification will be the benchmark. We are building it now, and we want you involved.
IAHC Standards of Practice: Proposed Framework
The proposed IAHC Standards of Practice define six core competency domains against which certification candidates would be assessed. These represent the proposed minimum standard of competence for safe, ethical, and effective healthcare clowning practice. The Standards are in development and will be subject to board ratification and peer review before adoption.
Clinical Presence & Relational Skills
The proposed standard requires that a certified practitioner demonstrate the capacity to establish and maintain a therapeutic relationship with patients, families, and care teams, adapting their presence to the emotional and clinical demands of each encounter.
Patient Assessment & Adaptive Practice
The proposed standard requires that a certified practitioner conduct a patient-centred assessment before each encounter and adapt their practice in real time to clinical cues, patient state, and environmental factors.
Clinical Environment Navigation
The proposed standard requires that a certified practitioner understand and respect the clinical environment, including infection control protocols, patient safety procedures, and the boundaries of their role within the interdisciplinary care team.
Ethical Practice & Professional Conduct
The proposed standard requires that a certified practitioner uphold the IAHC Code of Ethics, maintaining appropriate professional boundaries, protecting patient dignity and confidentiality, and acting in the best interests of patients at all times.
Read the proposed Code of Ethics →Reflective Practice & Continuing Development
The proposed standard requires that a certified practitioner engage in structured reflective practice, seek supervision, and commit to ongoing professional development in line with IAHC continuing education requirements.
Evidence-Informed Practice
The proposed standard requires that a certified practitioner be familiar with the current evidence base for healthcare clowning and apply evidence-informed principles to their clinical decision-making and practice development.
Two Proposed Levels of Certification
The IAHC framework proposes two credential tiers: the foundational Certified Practitioner and the advanced Certified Supervisor and Mentor. Each has distinct proposed requirements and renewal obligations. Both are in development and subject to ratification by the IAHC board.
Certified Practitioner
The proposed foundational IAHC credential
Requirements
- IAHC membership in good standing
- HC-101 + HC-201 (or RPL equivalent)
- 200 hours supervised clinical practice (proposed)
- Two supervisor references
- Reflective portfolio
- Certification Review Panel approval
Proposed 3-year renewal cycle with CEU requirements
Proposed for practitioners across all healthcare disciplines who meet the full competency standard.
Certified Supervisor & Mentor
Proposed advanced credential for experienced practitioners
Requirements
- IAHC-CP in good standing
- 2+ years active clinical practice post-certification
- HC-301 (Mentorship & Supervision)
- Demonstrated supervisory experience
- Advanced portfolio review
Proposed 3-year renewal cycle with advanced CEU requirements
Proposed for experienced certified practitioners who supervise and mentor others in clinical training.
Grandfathering & Recognition of Established Practitioners
IAHC is being built to elevate a field that already has decades of skilled, dedicated practice behind it. Many practitioners and organisations around the world have developed deep expertise, often through national associations, hospital programs, and peer-supervised training, long before an international credential existed.
It is a founding principle of IAHC that this established practice must be honoured, not erased. A new international standard should not require experienced practitioners to start from scratch. When the Association of Child Life Professionals (ACLP) introduced the Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS) credential, it provided a pathway for practitioners already working in the field, recognising that competence existed before the formal credential did. That precedent informs IAHC's approach.
The IAHC board, once established, will formally define and ratify the grandfathering criteria and window. The proposed framework below reflects the founding intent and is subject to board confirmation.
Proposed Grandfathering Window
No less than 24 months
From the date of formal IAHC ratification. The 24-month floor is a founding proposal, informed by the precedent of established credentialing bodies that have provided transition windows when introducing new professional credentials. Subject to board confirmation.
Proposed Eligibility: Practitioners
- Active healthcare clowning practice for a minimum of 3 years in a recognised clinical setting
- Documented supervised practice hours (proposed minimum: 300 hours)
- Evidence of professional development: training, workshops, or peer supervision
- Two professional references from a clinical supervisor or institutional lead
- Commitment to IAHC Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice upon ratification
Proposed Eligibility: Organisations and National Associations
- Established healthcare clowning organisation with documented clinical programs
- Existing training or competency framework that can be mapped to IAHC Standards of Practice
- Demonstrated commitment to patient safety, ethics, and professional conduct
- Willingness to align with IAHC governance and Code of Ethics upon ratification
Organisations whose training frameworks are formally recognised by IAHC may be eligible to have their graduates assessed for grandfathered certification through an expedited portfolio review, rather than requiring full re-training.
The Proposed Certification Process
The proposed certification pathway is structured and supported, not a single exam. The framework is designed so that most candidates would complete the process in 12 to 24 months, supported by an IAHC mentor and the member community. All timelines and requirements are indicative and subject to ratification.
Become an IAHC Member
OngoingCertification will be open to IAHC members. Membership will provide access to the training portal, mentor network, and application system once they are established.
Complete Required Training
Approx. 120+ hoursThe proposed pathway requires completion of HC-101 (Foundations) and HC-201 (Clinical Practice), or submission of evidence of equivalent prior learning for recognition of prior learning (RPL) assessment.
Accumulate Supervised Practice Hours
200 hours minimum (proposed)The proposed framework requires a minimum of 200 hours of supervised clinical practice in a recognised healthcare setting, documented using the IAHC Practice Log.
Submit Your Application
Processing time TBDThe proposed application would include training records, a practice log, two supervisor references, and a reflective portfolio demonstrating competence against the IAHC Standards of Practice.
Certification Review
Timeline TBDApplications would be reviewed by the IAHC Certification Review Panel, a proposed peer body of certified practitioners. A competence interview may form part of the review process.
Maintain & Renew
Every 3 years (proposed)IAHC certification is proposed to be valid for three years, with renewal requiring evidence of ongoing practice, completion of CEU requirements, and a brief renewal application.
A note on supervised placements
Supervised clinical placements described in this framework take place within host healthcare institutions (hospitals, hospices, care facilities, and similar settings) under the governance, infection control protocols, and patient safety frameworks of those institutions. IAHC does not itself operate clinical facilities, hold clinical authority, or direct patient care in any form. The role of IAHC is to define the professional standards and competency framework that practitioners bring into those settings. Acceptance into any clinical placement remains at the sole discretion of the host institution.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the proposed certification designed for?
The IAHC-CP credential is being designed for any healthcare professional who completes the required training and supervised practice hours: nurses, physicians, social workers, arts therapists, child life specialists, and dedicated therapeutic clowns. No prior clowning experience is proposed as a prerequisite for the foundational level.
I am already an experienced healthcare clown. Will I have to start from scratch?
No. IAHC is being built on the founding principle that established practice must be honoured. A proposed grandfathering pathway will allow practitioners with documented clinical experience, and organisations whose training frameworks meet the IAHC Standards of Practice, to apply for certification through an expedited portfolio review without completing the full training pathway. The proposed grandfathering window is no less than 24 months from the date of formal IAHC ratification, a floor informed by the precedent set when the Association of Child Life Professionals (ACLP) introduced the CCLS credential and provided a pathway for practitioners already working in the field. Final criteria and the window duration will be confirmed by the IAHC board.
What about national associations and established organisations?
Organisations with existing training frameworks that can be mapped to the IAHC Standards of Practice may be eligible for formal recognition, allowing their graduates to access an expedited certification pathway rather than full re-training. IAHC is being built to complement and elevate existing national traditions, not to replace them. Formal recognition agreements will be developed once the board and Standards Committee are established.
What is Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)?
The proposed framework includes an RPL pathway for practitioners who have completed equivalent training through a national association or accredited program. The proposed IAHC Certification Review Panel would evaluate prior learning against the IAHC Standards of Practice. The RPL process is still being designed.
Will the IAHC credential be recognised by employers?
IAHC is being built to establish the first internationally portable certification in healthcare clowning. Recognition agreements with healthcare institutions and professional bodies will be pursued once the credential framework and governance structure are formally ratified.
When will certification be available?
Certification will not be available until the IAHC board is established, the Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics are formally ratified, and the training and assessment infrastructure is in place. We are building that foundation now. Founding members will be the first to know when applications open.
How long is the proposed certification process expected to take?
Based on the proposed framework, most candidates would complete the process in 12–24 months, depending on the pace of training and the availability of supervised clinical placements. Grandfathered practitioners applying through the portfolio review pathway are expected to have a significantly shorter process. These timelines are indicative and subject to change as the framework is finalised.
Certification Built on Existing Excellence
The IAHC certification framework is not being built in isolation. Established training providers whose programs already meet the IAHC Standards of Practice are essential partners - their graduates should not have to start over. A formal Training Partner designation means an expedited certification pathway for your graduates, not a duplication of work already done.
Equally important are the recognition partnerships that make certification portable: healthcare standards organisations such as the Health Standards Organization (HSO), professional associations across nursing, social work, arts therapies, and child life, and credentialing bodies like Play Therapy International that have already navigated the path to recognition within healthcare systems.
These partnerships also directly shape IAHC's by-laws and governance structure. The organisations who engage during the formation stage will have direct input into how the global standard is designed.
View the Full Partnership FrameworkYour Program Already Meets the Standard
If your organisation delivers healthcare clowning training with structured clinical supervision, competency-based assessment, and a curriculum that maps to the IAHC Standards of Practice, your graduates deserve an expedited path to certification - not a requirement to start over.
Learn about Training Partnerships →Making Certification Portable Across Healthcare Systems
IAHC is actively seeking relationships with healthcare standards bodies, professional associations, and credentialing organisations whose endorsement makes certification meaningful inside a hospital, a funding application, or a professional registration system.
Learn about Recognition Partnerships →IAHC is in its formation stage. Formal partnership agreements will be finalised once the board is established. Organisations who engage now will shape how the global standard is built.
[email protected] - start the conversation →Be Among the First to Earn the Credential
Certification applications will be submitted through the IAHC member portal. Become a founding member now to access the application system first, be matched with a mentor, and be part of the inaugural cohort of certified practitioners.