Cancellations & Refunds

IN BRIEF
When we make a course or training day available to book, it is our full and firm intention to run that course or training day, and we do everything we can to make it happen. We hope that, by booking our training, you too will do all you can to attend.
 
This cancellation policy covers what happens if either of us doesn't fulfil what we set out to do – either if we don’t run an event, or you can’t attend.

OUR SIDE
We don’t publicise events on a ‘provisional’ basis – if we say it’s going to happen, then unless something uncontrollable occurs, it will happen. The only reasons we would cancel an event are:
 

• if the venue suddenly becomes unavailable (for example, it’s become flooded or suffered a fire, or the hirers break their contract with us)

• if the facilitator becomes severely ill so that she cannot speak (for example, laryngitis, or sickness too debilitating to be able to stand up and talk)

• government guidelines are preventing us from running the course (for example lockdowns or other measures to prevent the spread of a virus)

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There may be other things as well, such as terrorist acts or war, but we’re focusing on the things that are more of a realistic risk. 
 
If we have to cancel in any of these or similar circumstances, and they really are events beyond our control (what are sometimes referred to as ‘acts of God’ or ‘force majeure’) then the following provisions will apply:
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• If practicable we will rearrange the event for another date in the same town/area and transfer your booking to that event

• If you are unable to make that rearranged date in the same town/area we will offer a transfer to any other event that we’re running.

We don’t offer refunds in these circumstances because we are rearranging the event rather than actually cancelling it, and it’s likely that we will still be liable for many of our costs, such as hotel accommodation and venue hire.
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The BirthBliss Doula Academy reserves the right to change teachers and venue at any time during the course and the right to alter fees without prior notice.

No refunds will be made for travel expenses incurred.  We suggest that if you are booking flights, you choose an option that enables you to either cancel without a penalty or to change the dates of travel.  Most cheap airfares allow date changes to be made within certain time frames.  Please check the conditions attached to your selected flight before confirming your reservation.  Travel insurance is also worth considering.

YOUR SIDE
Please only book to attend a course or training day if, at that time, you are sure you can attend. We often sell out and it’s disappointing if someone else could have had the space. 

Your right to cancel and receive a full refund starts the moment you place your order and ends after 14 days. If the start of the course falls within this 14-day period, you automatically give your consent to waive the 14-day cooling-off period and the refunds will be considered as listed below.
 
However, we do appreciate that there are lots of understandable, uncontrollable things that happen in life to prevent you from coming, for example sickness or bereavement. If you have such a reason for cancelling at short notice, let us know what happened and we’ll consider it on a case-by-case basis. We don’t guarantee to offer you anything, but more often than not, we will allow you to transfer to another of our training courses/training days.
 
If you want to cancel for other reasons, unlike many organisations that don’t offer refunds at all, we do – albeit on a sliding scale basis. The refunds are based on the full course fee which means that when you book, the non-refundable deposit is £212.00. We don’t offer a full refund because it costs us time and money to process your booking and prepare the event, but our refunds are:
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• If you cancel more than 4 weeks before the event, we’ll give you a 75% refund

• If it’s 15 days or more until the event, we’ll give you a 50% refund

• If it’s 72 hours or more until the event, we’ll give you a 25% refund

• If it’s within 72 hours of the event, we won’t issue a refund. Instead, at our discretion, we may offer a transfer to another of our courses or training days dependent on your circumstances.

As with all contracts, it’s a two-way thing. We’ll do everything in our power to deliver on our side of the deal and simply ask that you to do too. That seems to us to be fair on both sides. 

ACCREDITATION PROGRAMME
You start your accreditation after you have completed the post-course module of the course. You have three months from the last day of the course to complete the post-course work. If you have special circumstances for needing more time, please contact us. 

There are two options for accreditation, you can sign up to be accredited as a birth OR postnatal doula or you could choose the FULL accreditation option, which means you become an Accredited birth and postnatal doula.

The accreditation programme includes a 24-month period of coaching and mentoring, and this time period starts once you have signed up with your Doula Coach. Extending the time beyond 24 months will require you to re-apply and pay additional fees to continue your accreditation journey (any jobs already signed off can be carried forward). 

There are circumstances where you can put your accreditation programme on-hold and pause it with the intention of continuing at a later date. These circumstances include bereavements, long-term health issues and maternity leave. It's important that you inform your Doula Coach if you need to pause the programme.

SIX MONTH FREE LISTING ON THE DOULA DIRECTORY 
You will be given a link to sign up, which gives you a free listing for six months. This offer cannot be exchanged for cash and the voucher is valid for three months from the last day on your doula course. You must complete the post-course module to be listed on The Doula Directory.
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METHOD OF REFUND
When payment has been made by card payment, the amount will be refunded to your card. When PayPal has been used the refund will be made via PayPal as long as it is within PayPal’s own cancellation policy of 60 days. If it is beyond that, the refund will be given via BACS to a UK based bank account and the delegate is responsible for providing us with the correct information to facilitate this. 

LIABILITY
The BirthBliss Doula Academy does not accept any liability in case of illness, accident, loss or damage to personal effects or property on any of our courses and workshops.
 
RESOURCE ORDERS FROM THE STORE

YOUR RIGHT TO CANCEL
Your right to cancel your order starts the moment you place your order and ends 14 days from the day you receive the items. This 14 day period is the time you have to decide whether to cancel. You then have a further 14 days to actually send the items back.

YOUR RIGHT TO A REFUND
The BirthBliss Doula Academy will refund you within 14 days of either us receiving the returned goods or you providing evidence of having returned the goods (for example a proof of postage receipt from the post office), whichever is soonest. All items must be returned in pristine condition. A deduction can be made if the value of the items has been reduced as a result of damage or you handling the items more than was necessary. The extent to which a customer can handle items is the same as it would be if you were assessing them in a shop. The BirthBliss Doula Academy will refund the basic delivery cost of getting the goods to you in the first place. If you selected first class, The BirthBliss Doula Academy will only be required to refund the second class rate.

RETURNING FAULTY/DAMAGED ITEMS
If you receive items that are damaged or don’t match the description given, you have the same consumer rights under the Consumer Rights Act (October 2015) as you have when buying in store. Please contact us with details and evidence of any damage and we will send you out replacement items or refund you the cost of the initial order.

If you have any questions, please email us.