Through the completion of the NCT Birth Doula Pathway, our NCT Birth Doulas provide women and their partners, with skilled physical and emotional assistance, as well as up-to-date knowledge, information, and encouragement to help them have the type of labour and birth they would like.
All our NCT Birth Doulas meet with the woman or person giving birth during pregnancy, spending time getting to know them and providing continuous one-to-one support during labour and birth.
- The only Birth Doula training course which involves studying at university level.
- In-person training weekends, taught in a dedicated simulation and skills suite, providing a realistic experience.
- Provide parents with one-to-one support during pregnancy and throughout labour and birth.
On successful completion of our training, you will be awarded an NCT Licence-to-Practise and begin supporting parents.
Debbie, an NCT trained Doula said of her work:
"To work as a Doula supporting women through labour and birth, and their partners, is an honour. It’s a beautiful, intimate, momentous time and to help mothers and partners to feel safe, empowered, positive, and supported is incredibly rewarding. I feel passionate about the impact of birth experiences on parenthood and well-being and the relationships I build with my clients are very special."
Course information
The NCT Birth Doula Pathway is a Level 5 university course offered in partnership with the University of Worcester. The training consists of 2 x 15 credit modules:
- Dimensions of the Role of the Doula
- Realising the Role of the Doula
The course is taught via 4 x training weekends, over a period of six months. The weekends are held at the University of Worcester and attendance at all weekends is mandatory.
Dates for the weekends are:
- 13th/14th January 2024
- 2nd/3rd March 2024
- 20th/21st April 2024
- 15th/16th June 2024
In addition, students will undertake a total of 24 hours (undertaken over several sessions) of midwife observations and support a birth as a student.
*Please note this training is being reviewed for September 2024 and may not be the same format.
Entry requirements
To be accepted on the course you will need a minimum of:
- One A Level (or equivalent) at grade C or above or an equivalent Level 3 qualification - i.e., BTEC or CACHE diploma which carries 32 UCAS tariff points. These qualifications do not have to be in a related subject.
- We welcome applicants who may not meet our standard entry requirements but can demonstrate the ability to study this subject at university level and have relevant work experience.
Please contact ncttrainingenquiry@nct.org.uk for further advice regarding qualifications and entry requirements or call us on 0208 752 2453 or 0208 752 2342.
How much does it cost?
The cost is £2,312 payable directly to the University of Worcester in six instalments. Student Finance is not available for this course.
How to apply
To start in January 2024, please email admissions@nct.org.uk to request a link to apply through the University of Worcester. Applications will close as soon as the course is full.
We are committed to zero discrimination both internally and externally regardless of visible or invisible difference such as sex, sexual orientation, age, race, ethnicity, disability, impairment, learning difference or long-term condition, religion or belief, gender identity, economic class, marital/civil partnership, family status including single parents, socioeconomic background and pregnancy and maternity. We provide reasonable adjustments and are committed to an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. Read more about our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion action.
What happens once you are qualified?
- You will receive your NCT Licence-to-Practise which enable you to work as an autonomous NCT Birth Doula.
- You can promote your service via NCT’s website.
- Book your own clients and set your fees and agreements that suit both yourself and your clients.
- Register annually with NCT which provides Insurance cover and ongoing support.
A recently qualified NCT Birth Doula said:
“Having now undertaken several births since qualifying I also have to reflect just how effective the training was. I am much more confident in my practice which makes the whole experience more pleasurable, and I am also aware of how much better honed my skills are. The confidence comes from recognizing the knowledge base, implicit in instinctive acts and understanding our role and feeling protected by the boundaries we have created as we developed our practice. The ongoing support I now have from the rest of my cohort and the ongoing supervision is also a huge benefit. Thank you!”
Want to know more?
Are you interested in studying with NCT but still have questions?
Course Information session
We will be holding an online course information session via Zoom, where we will discuss the course in more detail on:
- Thursday 30th November 2023 at 9.30am
To book yourself a place on one of the sessions, please click on this link:
NCT Birth Doula Course Information Session Booking Form
Take your qualification further
Our CertHE NCT Perinatal Education and Practice provides the qualification required to become an NCT Practitioner and deliver our highly valued antenatal courses. It is taught through a mix of studying and learning in practice.
Please visit our CertHE NCT Perinatal Education and Practice course page for further details, or contact us via our course enquiry form to receive more information.
