Professional Masterclass — Live Virtual Event

The PRIME
Feeding Method

A full-day clinical masterclass for IBCLCs, physiotherapists, speech and language therapists, and paediatric clinicians. Learn the complete PRIME framework — and leave with a structured approach you can use in your next session.

DateTuesday 22 September 2026
FormatLive Virtual — Full Day
Places25 only
Presented byKate & Justin Roche
Secure your early bird place — €440 Early bird ends 25 August 2026
Is your baby PRIMED? The PRIME Feeding Method
Why this course exists

The current model is fragmented.
PRIME closes the gaps.

A lactation consultant addresses latch. An osteopath addresses body tension. A speech and language therapist addresses oral motor function. A paediatrician addresses reflux. Each working within their own scope, with no single clinician holding the whole picture.

What tends to emerge is three consistent gaps. Feeding function is rarely observed. The infant's state is not optimised before clinical input. And the parent's nervous system is excluded from the treatment model entirely.

PRIME is the clinical framework that closes all three. One coherent approach, applicable to any baby, across any feeding type, with or without a structural diagnosis.

The framework

Five elements. One coherent approach.

Each element is sequentially important and continuously present throughout the treatment episode. They are not independent — they interact, they influence each other, and they need to be held simultaneously even as you address each one in turn.

P
P — Presence
The caregiver's nervous system sets the tone of the feeding environment before a feed begins. It needs to be assessed, understood, and actively managed — not just in clinic, but before every feed at home.
R
R — Readiness
Feeding readiness is not something you wait for. It is something you create. The infant's nervous system state is assessed and optimised before every feed — this is the gateway to everything that follows.
I
I — IsoAlign
Postural stability and midline alignment throughout the whole body create the stable base from which fine motor feeding movements become possible. The mouth cannot do its job well if the body it sits in is not well aligned.
M
M — Mapping
Feeding is a motor skill. Many babies who are struggling have adopted compensatory patterns that have become habitual. Mapping is about updating those patterns — but new motor learning only happens when the nervous system is open and receptive.
E
E — Embody
Integration and generalisation — the point at which the patterns established in practice begin to carry over into the functional feed. The baby is bringing what they have learned to the feed itself.

The goal of all five elements working together is for the baby and their parent to become PRIMED — a state where good feeding is no longer something they are working towards. It is simply what they do.

What you will leave with

A framework you can use in your next session.

The neurobiological foundation

A working clinical understanding of Polyvagal Theory and how it applies to every infant feeding session — not as theory but as the basis for every clinical decision you make.

Clinical assessment across all five elements

How to assess each PRIME element in the room with a family. What to look for, what it means, and what to do about it in the right sequence.

The ACE tools in detail

FACE, PACE, and RACE — the Adaptive Coordination Exercises that form the practical core of Mapping. When to use each, how to select between them, and how to transfer them to the family.

IsoAlign assessment and technique

How to assess postural alignment across the whole infant body — not just the oral cavity — and the specific techniques for resolving compensatory patterns before beginning oral motor work.

The PRIMED outcome framework

What PRIMED means as a clinical endpoint, how to recognise it, and how to have the discharge conversation in a way that empowers families rather than creating dependency.

Live Q&A with Kate and Justin

Direct access to two of the leading clinicians in infant feeding rehabilitation. Bring your cases, your questions, and your clinical challenges.

How the day is structured

Morning theory. Afternoon application.

Morning session
The PRIME framework in full. The neurobiological foundation. Presence, Readiness, and IsoAlign in clinical detail. The evidence base, the clinical argument, and the practical principles.
Afternoon session
Mapping, Embody, and Default. The ACE tools demonstrated. Clinical case discussion. Live application of the framework to real presentations you bring to the session.
Live Q&A throughout
This is not a recorded lecture. Kate and Justin are present throughout. Questions are welcomed in the room, not saved for the end.
1,000+
patients treated annually at the NTTC
27+
countries represented in their patient population
18+
years of specialist infant feeding practice
“Release without rehabilitation is incomplete care. PRIME is the framework for everything that comes after the structural finding.”
— Kate Roche, Clinical Director, NTTC
Your presenters

Two decades of clinical practice.
One framework.

Kate Roche
Clinical Director & Co-Founder, NTTC
Chartered Physiotherapist, IBCLC, and Paediatric Feeding Therapist with over 30 years of clinical experience. Kate developed the PRIME Feeding Method from two decades of integrated clinical practice at the National Tongue Tie Centre, incorporating physiotherapy, CranioSacral therapy, myofunctional therapy, and Polyvagal-informed practice. She is the originator of the IsoAlign and ACE tool frameworks.
BSc PhysiotherapyMISCPMCSPIBCLC
Dr Justin Roche
Medical Director & Co-Founder, NTTC
Consultant Paediatrician and IBCLC with a specialist practice in infant feeding, oral restriction, and Functional Frenuloplasty. Justin brings the medical and surgical dimension to the PRIME framework — the structural assessment, the frenectomy decision pathway, and the post-procedure rehabilitation that makes outcomes durable. He holds Fellowship with the American Laser Study Club.
MB ChBFRCPCHFRCPIIBCLC
Secure your place

25 places only.

Early bird pricing closes 25 August 2026. Full price applies from 26 August.

Full price — from 26 August 2026
€550
Full price registration opens 26 August 2026.
Available from 26 August 2026
  • Full day live virtual masterclass — 22 September 2026
  • Complete PRIME clinical framework across all five elements
  • Printed handout and reference materials sent in advance
  • Live Q&A with Kate and Justin throughout the day
  • CPD certificate of attendance
  • Access to course recordings for 30 days post-event
Register at full price

Places are strictly limited to 25 participants. When early bird places are sold, a waitlist will open for the next cohort.

Who this course is for

Any clinician who supports
infant feeding.

PRIME is not a tongue tie protocol and not a breastfeeding tool. It is a feeding framework — applicable to any baby, across any feeding type, with or without a structural diagnosis.

This masterclass is designed for IBCLCs, physiotherapists and occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, paediatric nurses, nurse specialists, midwives, GPs, and paediatricians who want a coherent, evidence-informed framework for infant feeding rehabilitation.

You do not need prior knowledge of Polyvagal Theory. You do not need experience in tongue tie. You need clinical contact with families where feeding is not working and a desire to understand why — and what to do about it.

Questions

Frequently asked

What platform will the course be delivered on?
Zoom. A link will be sent to all registered participants one week before the course date. You do not need a paid Zoom account.
What time does the day run?
Full schedule will be confirmed to registered participants by 1 September 2026. The day will run approximately 9am to 5pm Irish time, with a lunch break and two shorter breaks.
Will the session be recorded?
Yes. All registered participants will have access to the recordings for 30 days following the course. The recordings are for personal use only and may not be shared or redistributed.
Is CPD certification available?
Yes. A CPD certificate of attendance will be issued to all participants who attend the full day. The course constitutes approximately 7 hours of structured CPD.
What if I cannot attend on the day?
We are unable to offer refunds within four weeks of the course date. If you are unable to attend, your registration may be transferred to a colleague or to a future cohort, subject to availability. Please contact us as early as possible.
Is there a group booking discount?
Yes. Clinics or teams booking three or more places receive 10% off the applicable price. Contact us directly at [email protected] to arrange a group booking.
Will there be further cohorts?
Yes. If this cohort sells out, a waitlist will open immediately for the next run. The online asynchronous version of the professional course will also be available in late 2026 for those who cannot attend a live date.