Educator Pathways

There is NO registration process for childbirth and parenting educators in Australia. Anyone can legally set up their own private business to provide this service, however consumers expect a high quality professional service from qualified educators.

Birth and parenting educators listed on a professional register (AHPRA) are bound by the rules and regulations of their profession, e.g. midwifery, physiotherapy.

As the only national professional body representing Australian birth and parenting educators, CAPEA has a process that recognises skills and knowledge at various levels as a CAPEA Certified Educator.

In 2011, CAPEA developed National Competency Standards, revised and updated in 2018. See the National Competency Standards, highly regarded in Australia and the United Kingdom.

Pay rates for educators working within existing maternity services vary greatly. There are no national or state Awards just for birth and parenting educators, so they are employed under a range of award structures.

Private Health Funds may provide rebates to clients attending birth and parenting courses. Educators working privately, as well as managers of public and private maternity service courses, will need to periodically liaise with Private Health Funds to maintain eligibility for client rebates.

CAPEA recommends due diligence if you are setting up your own private practice, including considering professional indemnity insurance options. CAPEA is unable to recommend any particular insurance companies.

Public and private maternity services employing birth and parenting educators usually provide vicarious professional indemnity.

If you already work with expectant and new parents and have sound knowledge of pregnancy, labour, birth, breastfeeding, role of support people, and Australian maternity care systems — either through AHPRA registration (e.g. midwifery, physiotherapy, nursing) or through doula services, pre/post-natal yoga or similar — you will need additional skills in adult learning and group facilitation to provide excellent birth and parenting education.

If you are already experienced in teaching and adult learning, you will need to learn in depth about pregnancy, labour, birth, breastfeeding, role of support people, becoming new parents, infant communication and optimal growth and development, Australian maternity care systems, as well as current trends, debates and guidelines.

Being passionate to share your personal experiences and wisdom alone is not sufficient to meet the requirements in Standard 2.1 of the Australian National Competency Standards.

Before committing to any training or education program, consider the following:

• Ascertain the target group with whom you wish to work
• Identify which current skills and/or knowledge you already have, and those you need to gain
• Read all terms and conditions thoroughly before paying — ask about assessment procedures, certification, professional recognition and refunds
• Investigate provider claims about research results, training content and certification processes
• Check whether the certificate is recognised by the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF)
• Verify the qualifications of trainers — do they hold adult education skills and a health professional background?
• Confirm portability of the qualification across maternity organisations in Australia and other countries