Parental leave

Are you applying to become an AHT?

Where an AHT applicant takes a leave of absence from work or reduces their hours of work for the primary purpose of caring for their new child, the time frame for completing the requirements of the AHT credential may be extended by up to 12 months for each new child. 

The maximum time over which the requirements of the AHT credential must be completed is seven years.

A letter from the applicant’s employer detailing the parental leave agreement for each child, or alternative supportive evidence, must be uploaded to your application.

Are you re-accrediting?

The hand therapy practice requirement of 2000 hours per five-year reaccreditation period may be reduced by 400 hours for each newborn child for whom the AHT is a primary caregiver.

A letter from the applicant’s employer detailing the parental leave agreement for each child, or alternative supportive evidence, must be uploaded to your CPD log under category 1 (Hand Therapy Work Experience).  The reduction may not be carried across reaccreditation periods.

Category 2 (Ongoing Education) and 3 (Contributions to the Hand Therapy Profession) requirements must be met in full, within the reaccreditation period of five years.