NCT Breastfeeding and Perinatal Support Pathway

Practitioners are trained to support parents with infant feeding and a range of changes and challenges they might experience in the very early days. Alongside breastfeeding counselling knowledge and skills, the pathway enhances knowledge of the transition to parenthood and understanding the needs of the new baby.  

On successful completion of the training, you will be awarded an NCT Licence-to-Practise and begin supporting parents.  

"It's my joy to work with new families, support them to achieve their feeding goals"

Course information

Students will study an NCT in-house element alongside 2 modules taken from the Certificate in Higher Education (CertHE) NCT Perinatal Education and Practice. The CertHE is taught in partnership with the University of Worcester.

The course is taught mainly online through face-to-face virtual seminars. 

NCT in-house element

This part of the course is designed to provide you with a solid foundation of basic knowledge of the anatomy and physiology of breastfeeding, alongside the understanding of and practice of person-centred counselling skills. You will also explore common breastfeeding challenges, responsive feeding, attachment, sleep patterns, changing relationships and perinatal mental health. 

University modules

• Reflective practice: The aim of this module is to increase your understanding and application of reflective theories and to enable you to develop the skills to be a reflective practitioner. This is taught in Semester 1.
• Informed decision making in practice: The aim of this module is to provide an understanding of the underpinning theory of informed decision making and how it relates to the approach taken by NCT Practitioners. It enables students to develop an awareness of their own bias to prevent it being communicated to parents. This is taught in Semester 2.

Students will also attend a taught unit around anti-discriminatory practice.

Students are recommended to observe a monthly NCT Breastfeeding drop-in session or local Breastfeeding group and follow a family's feeding journey to support their learning. 

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
• GCSE English Language at Grade C/4 or evidence of level 2 literacy is required, for example key skills or functional skills at level 2
• 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.  

Please be aware that to obtain either a Counselling only or Facilitation NCT Licence-to-Practise as a Breastfeeding-Counsellor, you will need to have breastfed for around six months. Please contact us if you need further information about this 

How much does it cost?

The cost is £2,312 payable directly to the University of Worcester in 6 instalments from October to March. Student Finance is not available for this course. University fees for the Facilitating Learning in Groups module would be payable in the following academic year if chosen.

How to apply

To apply for September 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 a qualified?

Your Licence-to-Practise will enable you to support parents on a one-to-one basis on a largely voluntary basis.

You can choose to also complete the Facilitating Learning in Groups module in the following academic year. On successful completion of this additional module, you will be awarded a facilitation Licence-to-Practise which will enable you to run, and be paid for, the NCT Breastfeeding Sessions as part of the NCT Antenatal Course.

"As Breastfeeding Counsellors, we have each faced our own feeding challenges and know how important it is to have access to knowledgeable support: being able to work alongside each other to support others now feels very special and tremendously important."

Take your qualification further

Our CertHE NCT Perinatal Education and Practice course provides the qualification required to become an NCT Practitioner and able to deliver our highly valued antenatal courses. It is taught through a mix of studying and learning in practice.

Want to know more?

Are you interested in studying with NCT but still have questions?