Institute of Civil Funerals (IOCF) Membershp Criteria Approved
Prepared January 2005

At the second meeting of the IOCF Board in January '05, IOCF membership criteria was approved by the Council of Management and put into effect.

Membership of the IOCF is open to those who meet the criteria set out by the Institute which can be viewed on the IOCF website (www.iocf.org.uk).

October 2004 welcomed the launch of a unique professional body, the IOCF, an Institute to set a national standard for the delivery of Civil Funeral Ceremonies in the UK.

The IOCF aims to provide ongoing professional development for members, monitor and regulate the quality of funeral ceremonies delivered and promote awareness of this important new choice for bereaved families.

A Civil Funeral is defined as: A funeral which is driven by the wishes, beliefs and values of the deceased and their family, not by the beliefs or ideology of the person conducting the funeral.

There are two possible routes to obtain membership of the IOCF; Route A, for those who have attended a Civil Funeral Training course and have been approved by the Council of Management and Route B, for those who have gained experience in drawing up and conducting funerals in another context, over a period of time and for a variety of clients. Both routes are governed by a strict set of guidelines and can be viewed on the IOCF website (www.iocf.org.uk).

Applications for membership from practicing Funeral Celebrants have already started to be processed and Founder Members have been approved for membership through an early application initiative. The Council of Management also recognise that there will be applications from individuals and organisations, whilst not practicing Funeral Celebrants, will have a real interest in the work of the IOCF and may wish to benefit from an Associate Membership and provision has been made for this.

Because the IOCF is resolute in its objective to maintain national standards and the quality of Civil Funerals over time, renewal of membership is not automatic; the IOCF has adopted a number of standard procedures and has put in place a range of requirements that have to be met in order for membership to be re-issued in subsequent years, including the attendance of an appointed IOCF assessor at a Civil Funeral conducted by the member.

The Council of Management views quality of performance by is celebrants as the key to its future growth, Anne Barber, Chair of the IOCF comments "the industry and its clients need to feel secure in the professional quality and sensitivity of the ceremonies we offer".

If you are interested in applying for membership, or training to become a Civil Funeral Celebrant in order to conduct Civil Funerals, contact the Institute on 01480 810500 or send an email to info@iocf.org.uk. More details are available by visiting www.iocf.org.uk.


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