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Changes to CERP Availability at LER
At Lactation Education Resources, we're committed to providing high-quality education that prepares you to become the best lactation consultant you can be, while ensuring you get the continuing education you need to meet your goals. We're writing to share an important update about the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners'® (IBLCE®) Continuing Education Recognition Points (CERPs) accreditation changes and great news about LER's course approvals.
TL;DR — What You Need to Know
- Great news! All LER continuing education courses that we submitted for CERP approval have been approved by IBLCE under the new Preferred Provider Programme.
- Most courses began offering CERPs on January 1, 2026, with a small number of courses receiving approval in late January or February. Courses completed by December 31, 2025 awarded CERPs under LER's previous long-term provider status.
- Important note: Courses designed for initial IBCLC certification (LCTP, Core, Bridge) do not offer CERPs under IBLCE's new policies. This is an industry-wide change affecting all education providers.
The Detailed Version
Understanding IBLCE and CERPs
The International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners® (IBLCE®) is the independent, international certification body for the lactation consulting profession. Founded in 1985, IBLCE develops and administers the IBCLC examination and manages the credentialing process for over 38,000 IBCLCs practicing in 136 countries worldwide.
CERPs are the continuing education credits that IBCLCs need for recertification. To maintain their credential, IBCLCs must recertify every five years, either by retaking the IBCLC exam or by completing 75 CERPs (including specific categories for lactation-specific content, ethics, and related topics) along with clinical practice hours.
What Changed at IBLCE
IBLCE fundamentally changed how it accredits all providers of continuing education.
Previously, IBLCE offered "long-term provider" status to organizations like LER. This designation allowed approved long-term providers to assign CERPs to their own educational activities while submitting course information to IBLCE with streamlined notice and requirements.
Effective December 31, 2025, IBLCE eliminated all long-term provider designations industry-wide. This affected not just LER, but all education providers who previously held this status.
Under IBLCE's new system, called the "Preferred Provider Programme," education providers must now submit each individual course to IBLCE for review and approval. IBLCE—not the provider—has sole authority to assign CERPs to education. This represents a significant shift toward centralized approval for every educational activity.
How LER Responded — and the Great News
LER successfully obtained CERP approval for all continuing education courses we submitted to IBLCE.
Our team worked diligently through the application process, and we're pleased to report that:
- The majority of our continuing education courses received approval to begin offering CERPs on January 1, 2026
- A small number of courses received approval dates in late January or February 2026
- All approved courses now operate under IBLCE's new Preferred Provider Programme
CERPs for IBCLC Recertification
If you're already an IBCLC seeking continuing education for recertification purposes, LER's continuing education courses continue to offer the CERPs you need.
What This Means for You
Courses completed by December 31, 2025: These courses awarded CERPs under LER's previous long-term provider status.
Courses completed on or after January 1, 2026: CERP availability depends on each course's individual IBLCE approval date:
- Most courses: Received IBLCE approval effective January 1, 2026. If you complete one of these courses on or after January 1, you can earn CERPs.
- A few courses: Received IBLCE approval with later effective dates (late January through mid-February 2026). These courses award nursing contact hours immediately, but CERPs are only available for courses completed on or after the specific IBLCE approval date.
Certificate availability: As we transition to the new system, there may be a brief delay in certificate availability for courses approved on January 1st while we update all certificates with new IBLCE approval numbers. If you need your certificate urgently, please contact our customer support team, and we'll prioritize your request.
For courses with later approval dates, certificates with CERP information will be available once the IBLCE approval becomes effective.
All courses continue to award nursing contact hours regardless of CERP approval timing.
Our Commitment to You
This transition represented a significant change in how continuing education is approved across the entire lactation education field. We're grateful for your patience as we navigated this transition, and we're proud to continue offering the high-quality, evidence-based, inclusive education you've come to expect from LER.
LER's mission remains unchanged: to develop and deliver learning opportunities in lactation and breastfeeding skills from novice to expert, contributing to the health of families by training breastfeeding supporters to promote, protect, and support breastfeeding and chestfeeding.
If you have questions or concerns about your specific situation, please don't hesitate to contact our customer support team. We're here to help you achieve your professional goals.
*Please note that no certificate can be released for a course while its approval is still pending.
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