Preamble

The ISPPM is an interdisciplinary association of people who are aware of the imprintability and vulnerability of human beings from the moment of conception through the early postnatal stage of life into early childhood. Hence the ISPPM is concerned with the special significance of careful preparation for the child as well as the culture of pregnancy and birth, both national and international, as it has developed over the centuries in intercultural and cultural historical and scientific context.

The members of ISPPM face the challenge of introducing knowledge into society about the early imprinting factors important for human progeny in that they …

  • refer to and appreciate experiential knowledge and research in therapeutic practice in prenatal psychology, the science of obstetrics and prenatal medicine and related fields
  • help to disseminate research knowledge from the fields of anthropology, biology, birth preparation, gynaecology, genetics, midwifery, neonatology, neurobiology, obstetrics, paediatrics, pedagogy, philosophy, prenatal and perinatal medicine, prenatal and perinatal psycho-traumatology, psychiatry and child psychiatry, psychoanalysis, psychology and psychotherapy, psychosomatics, and others,
  • promote by means of working conferences, symposia and congresses interdisciplinary dialogue and seek and foster international communication
  • seek and encourage dialogue with those professional groups which bear special responsibility during pregnancy, assisting at birth and in earliest childhood
  • disseminate the “Charta of the Child’s Rights Before, During and After Birth”
  • to exert influence on social structures, e.g. through public relations work, the development of curricula and courses of study for schools, training and further education
  • concern themselves with national and international developments in obstetrics and also comment on them by suitable means
  • foster openness regarding scientific, experientially oriented and cooperative interdisciplinarity
  • encourage their international members to found independent national organizations
  • practise public relations by means of conferences and publications, professional papers, and press work by means of articles, interviews and reports in professional journals or
    other media.

In order to carry out these tasks, the society ISPPM was founded in the tradition of the ISSP, founded in
Vienna in 1972, on 7 March 2010 with effect from 31 October 2010 and approved the following…

CONSTITUTION

Article 1 Name and Seat of the Society

  1. The society shall bear the name “International Society for Pre- and Perinatal Psychology and Medicine e.V.”. The abbreviation ISPPM is used through out the following text.
  2. The seat of the society shall be Heidelberg.
  3. The society shall be entered into the register of societies with the district court in Heidelberg.
  4. The financial year shall be the calendar year.

Article 2 Aims and Objectives of the Society

The society pursues exclusively and directly non-profit making objectives within the meaning of the section “tax-privileged purposes”
of the tax law Para. 51 ff.

Article 2.1 Aims

a) To promote a scientific and humanitarian approach to human development, which can be seen as a continuum from conception through the prenatal, natal and postnatal stages of life,

b) To stress the indivisible unity of the human being, which always includes every biological, psychological, emotional and social aspect of life,

c) To support research to enhance prenatal and perinatal health; collecting, documenting and publishing this research knowledge in addition to encouraging and promoting allied
disciplines,

d) To develop comprehensive concepts of primary prevention on the basis of this knowledge and to introduce these into society, in particular into the vocational fields of the areas of activity designated in the constitution, or respectively promote, support and accompany their application.

Article 2.2 The Objectives of the Society are to be achieved in particular by means of:

a) holding national and international conferences and congresses on the subjects of birthing culture, obstetrics, prenatal and perinatal psychology and medicine in research and practice,

b) public relations work, press work, lectures, symposia and publications,

c) networking and cooperation, both national and international, with specialists and professional organizations,

d) supporting the establishment of national organizations with the same objectives,

e) initiating and supporting research projects at national and international levels,

f) developing and carrying out training programmes and further education programmes.

Article 3 Non-profit making character

The society is disinterested; it does not pursue objectives which primarily serve its own economic interest. Funds of the society can only be used for constitutional purposes. Members
shall not receive any share in profits nor in their capacity as members any other gratuities from the society’s funds. No-one shall be benefited by expenditure which is contrary to the objectives of the society or by disproportionately high reimbursements.

Article 4 Membership

Written applications for membership shall be approved by the Executive Committee.

  1. Any natural person can become a member of the society.
  2. A legal person, e.g. a national or international association, can become a member. This will be represented with voting status by a person delegated by the association and in possession of written legally effective authorization.
  3. Membership terminates on death or resignation.
  4. Memberships can be allowed to rest by the decision of the Executive Committee or terminated by expulsion. Reasons can be: breach of the society’s objectives, infringement of professional codes of ethics, or non-payment of the annual subscription in two successive years after reminder and hearing. The member concerned must receive written notice.
  5. Resignation must be made in writing to the Executive Committee with one month’s notice to the end of a calendar year.
  6. Members who resign or are expelled are obliged to pay the annual subscription to the end of the business year.
  7. Active and passive voting status is tied to membership and remittance of subscription.
  8. The ISPPM can become a member – also mutually – of another national or international organization with corresponding objectives.

Article 5 Subscriptions

The amount of the subscription shall be specified by the General Meeting. The subscriptions shall be paid annually in the
first quarter of the business year by direct debit or by standing order. Subscriptions for the year of joining the ISPPM shall
be calculated by quarter. Foundations and non-specific cash donations and donations in kind are always welcome to the society.
The minimum subscription for students, trainees, conscripts, single parents, the unemployed and pensioners can be reduced on
request by the decision of the Executive Committee. Honorary members are exempted from subscription charges.

Article 6 Bodies of the Society

The bodies of the society shall be:

  1. the General Meeting
  2. the Executive Committee
  3. the Extended Executive Committee
  4. the Scientific Advisory Committee

Article 7 General Meeting

Article 7.1 Responsibilities of the General Meeting – Calling of Meetings and Passing of Resolutions

The General Meeting shall comprise all of the individual members and honorary members of the society, as well as delegates
with voting rights representing an association. The General Meeting shall take place annually on a date set by the Executive
Committee. The Executive Committee shall be free to choose the venue of the meeting within Germany. The General Meeting shall
be responsible for the adoption of resolutions concerning every affair of fundamental importance to the ISPPM, in particular;

  1. Receipt of the Annual Report of the Executive Committee
  2. Receipt of the Treasurer’s Report
  3. Receipt of the Reports of Executive Committee Members and Members of the Extended Executive Committee
  4. Discharge of the Executive Committee
  5. Right of nomination for society office and assignments
  6. Election of Executive Committee Members and Members of the Extended Executive Committee
  7. Right of nomination and election of two auditors for the society’s accounts
  8. Right of nomination for honorary memberships and awarding of prizes
  9. Fixing of membership subscriptions
  10. Alterations to the constitution
  11. Dissolution of the society

The Board’s invitation to the general meeting, issued with details of the agenda, is subject to a period of notice of at
least four weeks. The call to meet is to take place in text form. The text form invitation can be by letter, e-mail
(without electronic signature) or fax. Requests for additions to the agenda shall be submitted in writing to the Executive
Committee at least eight days before the meeting. The General Meeting shall not be open to the public. The chairperson of the
meeting can permit guests. Any General Meeting that has been called in accordance with the constitution shall have a quorum
regardless of the numbers attending. The simple majority of valid votes cast shall suffice for the validity of any decision,
provided that the constitution or the law shall not require otherwise. In the case of a tied vote, the motion shall be rejected.
Abstentions shall be treated as invalid votes. Each member shall have one vote. Each representative of a legal person or an
international association shall have one vote. Minutes of the proceedings of the General Meeting shall be taken and signed by the
President, the Secretary and the Recorder of the Minutes.

Article 7.2 Elections

The General Meeting shall decide and elect in an open ballot by show of hands. Secret ballots or elections shall be held when
requested by any one member.

Article 7.3 Extraordinary General Meetings

Irregular member-meetings, which may take place in the interest of the society, are also to be called with at least four weeks
notice. The call to meet can follow when the Board decides this is necessary, or when at least 25% of the members (having submitted
in writing the aims and reasons for the meeting) request it.

Article 8 The Executive Committee

The Executive Committee shall be elected by the General Meeting and shall consist of:

  1. The Chairperson bearing the title of President
  2. 2. and 3.
  3. Two Vice-Chairpersons bearing the title of Vice-President
  4. The Treasurer
  5. The Secretary
  6. The Chairperson of the Extended Executive Committee

The term of office of the Executive Committee shall be three years. Re-election is permissible.

Duties of the Executive Committee:

  1. Co-ordination, execution and delegation of the Society’s activities,
  2. Administration of the Society and the Society’s funds,
  3. Preparation and implementation of the General Meeting as well as the Annual Report and the budget for the coming year,
    elections, resolutions, reports, plans,
  4. Approval of acceptance of members, legal persons, international delegates (Article 4) and associated societies,
  5. External representation of the Society,
  6. Nomination of Executive Committee members before elections
  7. Decisions about reduction of subscriptions (Article 5),
  8. The Executive Committee may appoint temporary expert professional committees for special projects such as funding, congresses or meetings as well as acting spokespersons,
  9. Public relations and press work
  10. Resolutions can be made in Executive Committee Meetings and telephone conferences.

In the event of a tied vote, the President shall have the casting vote. Members of the Executive Committee work in an honorary
capacity. Reimbursement to Executive Committee Members (e.g. travel expenses and Congress contributions) can be made upon presentation
of receipts within the scope of what is legally and fiscally permitted. The office bearers of the Society and its bodies (in particular
the Executive Committee and the Extended Executive Committee) basically work in an honorary capacity. The Executive Committee can resolve
that activities for the Society carried out by members of the Society’s bodies in an honorary capacity or any other persons who work
part-time in the non-profit making field of the Society can – subject to budgetary resources – receive payment for their work on the
basis of a contract under civil law with the proviso that the amount must be commensurate to the character and amount of work and also
that the requisite legal considerations (in particular with regard to non-profit making , income and wages tax as well as social
insurance regulations) are observed. The reimbursement of actually accrued expenses is only possible on presentation of proof,
where by payment of lump sums must obviously not exceed the actual costs accruing. The invitation to Executive Committee
meetings (also in the form of telephone conferences) shall be made by the President with at least ten days notice, enclosing the agenda.
In individual cases the notice can be shortened. The Executive Committee in the sense of Para 26 BGB is the Executive Committee
(Article 8). Two members of the Executive Committee shall jointly represent the Society. One of these members must be either the
President or a Vice-President.

Article 9 Extended Executive Committee

The Members of the Extended Executive Committee shall be elected by the General Meeting for a term of three years.
Each member of the Extended Executive Committee shall be entrusted with the responsibility for a concrete field of activity.
He/she shall on the one hand work on their own authority and carry out his/her duties in mutually cooperative consultation with
the Executive Committee. If the field of activity is entrusted to a Working Group, the member of the Extended Executive Committee
shall act as the spokesperson of the Working Group.

The following tasks in particular can be undertaken by the Extended Executive Committee:

  1. Introduction of the objectives named in Article 2.1 d) into society
  2. Establishment and fostering of networks and liaisons with important professional groups such as gynaecologists, midwives, neonatologists, osteopaths, psychotherapists and others
  3. Regional, national and international congress or conference work
  4. Public relations and press work.
  5. Support in management.
  6. Funding
  7. Membership administration and recruitment
  8. Administration of Internet presence
  9. Contact to the respective national chapter (see Article 11)
  10. Translation work

Every member of the Extended Executive Committee shall report either orally or in writing to the General Meeting on planned and
implemented activities in the field he is responsible for. The Extended Executive Committee shall as a rule meet annually.
Telephone conferences can be held by agreement. The Extended Executive Committee can pass resolutions within the scope of its
functions. Expense allowances and travel expenses reimbursement for Extended Executive Committee members shall be regulated by a
by law to be passed by the Executive Committee. If members of the Extended Executive Committee are entrusted with the management of
the Society, a contract of employment can be made with these persons or with persons working for them. The members of the
Executive Committee shall also be members of the Extended Executive Committee (see Article 8).

Article 10 The Scientific Advisory Committee

The Executive Committee shall appoint specialists, from Germany and abroad, as members of the Scientific Advisory Committee on
the basis of appropriate qualifications. The Scientific Advisory Committee is to advise the ISPPM on how to achieve its objectives
and carry out its duties.

Article 11 Internationality

Membership is open to people of all nationalities. As the ISPPM is concerned with basic topics of the pre-, peri- and postnatal
continuum which are of world wide significance, its members maintain international exchanges. Exchange is to take place between members
and organizations that are associated with the objectives of the ISPPM. All the bodies of the ISPPM can initiate working groups of
international composition with definite tasks. These working groups shall report on their projects at the international congresses
that take place regularly. The expenses of participation at international level shall be borne by the respective national
organizations/members. National organizations that have at least 10 members in the ISPPM or are association members of the ISPPM
shall have the right to be represented on the Extended Executive Committee by a delegated member (eligible to vote).

Article 12 International Educational Committee (IEC) for Schooling,Training and Further Education

The International Education Committee is a special working group of the ISPPM in the sense of the Extended Executive Committee
(see Article 9) The IEC shall be appointed and dismissed by the Extended Executive Committee. The task of this committee is the
development of a curriculum in the fields of prenatal psychology and medicine, the accreditation and certification of training
courses and further education courses and providing impetus in these fields. The IEC shall report to the Executive Committee and
the General Meeting.

Article 13 Auditors for the Society’s Accounts

Two auditors for the society’s accounts shall be elected by the General Meeting for a three-year term. They must not be members
of the Executive Committee or the Extended Executive Committee. Immediate re-election is not permitted. The auditors can be directly
nominated and elected at the General Meeting.

Article 14 Changes to the Constitution

Any resolution to change the Constitution shall require a three quarters majority of those members present at a General Meeting.
If any resolution about changing the Constitution is intended, members shall be given written notice of the wording in the invitation.

Article 15 Dissolution of the Society

The dissolution of the society can only be decided on in a General Meeting which has been called giving due notice of the agenda
item. The Meeting shall have a quorum regardless of the number of members present. A majority of three quarters of the valid votes
cast is required for the dissolution resolution; abstentions shall be treated as invalid votes. In the event of the dissolution or
suspension of the society or the lapse of its tax-advantaged objectives, the society’s funds shall fall to the

Deutscher Kinderschutzbund e.V.,

Schöneberger Str. 15. 10963 Berlin

or its legal successor with the proviso to make them available exclusively and directly for nonprofit making purposes.

Article 16 Taking Effect

The aforementioned Constitution was approved at the General Meeting on 7 March 2010 in Alfter near Bonn with effect from
31 October 2010 and after entry in the register of societies.

Alfter, 7.3.2010, amended on 21th October 2011

ISPPM Constitution download

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