The NCT trains specialist workers to run antenatal and postnatal courses and provide birth and breastfeeding support. Since the NCT’s inception in 1956, the charity has trained thousands of specialist workers to support and prepare parents for the transition to parenthood. Currently, the charity has over 900 students in training spread out over our different courses. The following courses are all university accredited and our three diploma courses are offered around the UK, we also have diploma groups based in Brussels and in Ireland. No specific academic qualifications are required to be accepted on one of our courses. 

We offer a range of opportunities for prospective students to choose from, you could train with us to become:

• An Antenatal Teacher – Diploma of Higher Education Antenatal Education validated by the University of Bedfordshire
• A Breastfeeding Counsellor – Diploma of Higher Education Breastfeeding Counselling validated by the University of Bedfordshire 
• A Postnatal Leader – Diploma of Higher Education Postnatal Group Facilitation validated by the University of Bedfordshire
• An NCT Birth Companion – Certificate validated by the University of Worcester (for those who have not worked with NCT before a short ‘orientation’ programme is offered to introduce some of the key skills and knowledge to enable students to apply for this course).
• An NCT Relax Stretch & Breathe/Yoga for Pregnancy teacher – Certificate in Applied Health Sciences: Teaching NCT RSB/YfP validated by Worcester University (only offered to qualified NCT antenatal teachers and to students nearing the end of their training with their tutor’s approval).

A Diploma with NCT college takes about three years, although as each student works at their own pace, the exact length of time depends on how much time an individual student has for her studies, as well as personal and family circumstances. The training is part time and much of the learning is self-directed.

NCT accepts students onto the Diploma course three times a year. Students join a local tutorial group consisting of 10-12 students, all at different stages of the course, each tutorial group is run by a personal tutor who provides academic and pastoral support for the students in her group.

Tutorial format varies, with most tutors running 8 – 10 tutorials spaced over the academic year, although a few run their tutorials over residential weekends quarterly.

Locations of antenatal tutorial groups

Locations of breastfeeding tutorial groups

Locations of postnatal tutorial groups

NCT Birth Companion training takes nine months spread across the academic year; the course starts in September and finishes the following summer. There are five training events, all of which take place at the University of Worcester. This course is self-funded.

NCT RSB/YfP training takes nine months spread across the academic year; this course generally starts in the autumn and concludes in the summer. It consists of two residential workshops and three single days. These training events are run either at University of Worcester or at a venue in Farnham, Surrey. This course is primarily self-funded.  

For more information on Studying with the NCT, please click here.