Career Framework
The Royal College of Midwives career framework is designed to support midwives and maternity support workers (MSWs) at every stage of their professional journey.
Whether you are starting out on your journey to being a midwife or MSW, or already working as a midwife or MSW and considering career opportunities, our framework will signpost different roles and resources to support you.
Clinical practice
The maternity team delivers care to women and their families across diverse healthcare settings, encompassing clinics in the community, hospitals, birth centres and home settings during pregnancy, labour and postnatal periods. The care provided must be competent, evidence-based, of high quality, and both safe and effective and offers vast and diverse opportunities.
Education
Good midwifery care starts with good midwifery education. Practice educators play a pivotal role in guiding students during their clinical practice learning. Midwifery lecturers primarily operate within universities, focusing on teaching and specialising in areas such as research, leadership and management, or clinical practice.
Research
Good midwifery care needs a good evidence base, which is why we need midwives involved in research. Midwives can get involved with research in a number of ways, from participating in studies to pursuing advanced projects at Masters or PhD level. Opportunities also exist for midwives to transition into roles as researchers, commonly within university or Trust/Health Board settings.
Leadership
Leadership happens at all levels of midwifery and maternity care, from elements of a woman’s care to senior executive roles in healthcare and policy settings. Effective leadership is a shared responsibility, particularly in institutions like the NHS or universities. It ensures goals are achieved, makes sure resources are optimised, provides stability for the workforce, and enhances outcomes for women. Good leadership involves promoting the profession, identifying and addressing challenges, and implementing and evaluating solutions. It requires knowing what actions to take and when, promoting a way forward within existing constraints.
