European Lactation Consultants Alliance (ELACTA)

Mission:
The purpose of the Alliance is to protect and improve public health by advancing the Profession of the Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) in Europe.

Vision:
All IBCLC associations within Europe are united by ELACTA. Every IBCLC in Europe is recognised as the professional authority in lactation and breastfeeding care. ELACTA is involved in all aspects of the promotion, protection and support of breastfeeding at local, national and European levels, reaching out to the global lactation community.

ELACTA will achieve this by pursuing the following goals:
• The specific needs of each national association are periodically monitored and assessed to improve lactation care practices and ensure high-quality IBCLC education in Europe.
• ELACTA continuously monitors, collects data and reviews how IBCLCs operate in different European countries.
• ELACTA advocates for the importance of IBCLCs in the field of parents and young children, in collaboration with European institutions, addressing the European Union.
• Several strategies and declarations have been developed to offer lactation care to public health services in European countries.
• ELACTA shares knowledge, announces events, news and research activities with all national IBCLC associations in Europe through face-to-face meetings and the use of social networks.
• Members are informed by a periodical, which is published digitally 4 times a year.
• A lactation conference is organized every two years in one of the European countries.
• ELACTA collaborates with global organizations promoting, protecting and supporting breastfeeding.
• ELACTA adheres to the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes and subsequent applicable World Health Assembly resolutions and supports the implementation of this code in all European countries.