Accredited Maternity Nurse Training two ways to qualify

There is no legally required qualification to work as a maternity nurse in the UK, which is exactly why accreditation matters. Families and agencies use it to tell the difference between someone who has been independently assessed and someone who has not. Babyem's Maternity Nurse Training is accredited by Open College Network London at Level 3 or Level 4, so your certificate is externally quality assured rather than issued by us alone.

Most agencies also expect a paediatric first aid certificate, an enhanced DBS check and professional insurance before you start working with families.

It depends on the route. The online course is self-paced, so you can move as quickly or as slowly as your work allows, and every module is unlocked the day you enrol. The blended route adds two days of face-to-face teaching in London on top of the online learning.

Both routes then include a written, essay-based assessment which you have seven weeks to complete and submit. Your OCN certificate typically arrives around four weeks after the final assessment process.

The online course is £450 at Level 3 and £570 at Level 4. The blended London course is £485 at Level 3 and £650 at Level 4, which includes the two in-person training days.

Payment plans are available on both routes. A small administration fee applies to instalments, so paying in full is always the lowest total cost. Both routes carry a 14-day money-back guarantee.

We recommend at least one year of hands-on experience caring for babies. Many of our learners come from nannying, nursery work, doula work, midwifery or health visiting, and others are career changers who have cared for babies in a personal capacity. The training builds on existing experience rather than starting from nothing. If you are unsure whether yours is suitable, contact us before enrolling and we will tell you honestly.

Both levels are taught to the same standard. The difference is the level at which you are assessed and accredited. Level 3 is comparable academically to A-level standard and focuses on understanding the principles and showing how you would apply them. Level 4 is higher-education level, comparable to the first year of a degree, and asks for greater depth and critical analysis of the evidence. Level 4 also includes additional bonus modules.

You choose your level when you enrol and can upgrade later by paying only the difference.

Both routes cover the same curriculum, are assessed the same way and lead to the same OCN London accreditation. Choose online if you need to fit study around families you already work with, if travel to London is difficult, or if you are outside the UK. Choose blended if you learn better in a room with other practitioners and want two days of face-to-face teaching and practical work.

The credential you end up holding is identical either way.

That depends on what you want from it. Accreditation does not guarantee work, and no reputable provider will tell you otherwise. What it does is give families and agencies an independent reason to trust your knowledge, and give you the clinical reasoning to handle situations that a checklist cannot cover, such as a baby who is not feeding well, a mother who is struggling, or a newborn who is unwell.

Babyem has trained over 20,000 practitioners since 2011, and our graduates are recommended by agencies including Nannies Incorporated, Eden Private Staff and Greycoat Lumleys.