Maternity support worker
Maternity support workers help midwives care for women and their babies before, during and after childbirth.
- Starter salary£25,000 a year
- Experienced£31,000 a year
- Typical hours37 to 42 a week
What you'll do
As a maternity support worker, you might:
- help care for mothers and babies
- do routine checks such as taking temperature or blood pressure
- provide support to families in labour
- help with parenting classes and on hospital wards
- collect statistics, keep records updated and do routine admin
- report any problems to a midwife or a nurse
Working environment
You could work in an NHS or private hospital, in the community or at a client's home.
Your working environment may be physically and emotionally demanding.
You may need to wear a uniform.
Skills and knowledge you'll need
You'll need:
- knowledge of health and medicine for newborn babies
- customer service skills
- sensitivity and understanding
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
- thinking and reasoning skills
- patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- the ability to use your initiative
- to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device
How to become a maternity support worker
You can get into this job through:
- a college course
- an apprenticeship
- working towards this role
- applying directly
College
You could do a college course to become a maternity support worker.
You could do a:
- Level 2 Certificate in Child Development and Care
- Level 2 Diploma in Health and Social Care
- Level 3 National Extended Diploma in Health and Social Care
Most health and social care courses include a work placement so this could be a good way for you to get experience.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent, for a level 2 course
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a level 3 course
Apprenticeship
You could start by doing a Healthcare Support Worker Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship.
After this, you could then do the Senior Healthcare Support Worker Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship. On this apprenticeship, you can choose to specialise in maternity support.
Entry requirements
To get onto an apprenticeship, you'll find it useful to have:
- some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship
- 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
Work
You could start as a healthcare assistant and learn on the job. You could move into maternity work by training or applying for a promotion where you work.
Volunteering
Volunteering in the NHS is a good way to get work experience in healthcare. This can be helpful when you apply for jobs or training.
Direct application
You can apply directly for jobs if you've got relevant skills and experience of working in childcare or healthcare.
Employers may want you to have a qualification in a childcare or healthcare in addition to some experience.
Restrictions and requirements
You'll need to:
- pass enhanced background checks as you may work with children and vulnerable adults
Career path and progression
With experience you could become a senior support worker.
You could also train to become an assistant practitioner, nursing associate, midwife or nurse.
Career tips
You would be expected to have an understanding of how the NHS values would apply in your work.
Guides for this industry
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