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

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

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.

You'll find it useful to get volunteering experience either in healthcare or with children and families.

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.

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

You'll need to:

• pass enhanced background checks as you may work with children and vulnerable adults

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

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.