welcome
Education and Research conference 2026
The power of education and research: strengthening the midwifery community
Join us as we shine a spotlight on the vital contributions of midwives, student midwives, and maternity support workers (MSWs)/maternity care assistants (MCAs) who are driving excellence in education and research.
The RCMÂ education and research conference is back for 2026 at the London Marriott Hotel Regents Park 18-19 March 2026.Â
Education and research are the foundation of safe, evidence-based practice and the heartbeat of a strong, connected midwifery community. These two pillars don’t just inform what we do, they inspire innovation, strengthen collaboration, and ensure that women and families across the UK receive the very best care. By investing in these areas, we empower professionals to lead change, share knowledge, and champion wellbeing at every stage of the maternity journey.
Stream one | Stream two | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Time | Session title | Resources | Research priority | Session title | Resources | Research priority | |
8:30 – 9:15 | Registration and networking | ||||||
9:15 – 9:30 | Welcome | ||||||
9:30 – 10:00 | Transforming maternity care through education and research: RCM Award Winners. Sara Balmforth Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice, Laura Atherton Countess of Chester NHS Foundation Trust and Emily Bates UEA | MIDIRS Search Packs: M24 Research: the value of; M26 Student midwives
i-learn module: One chance to get it right: bereavement care | |||||
10:00 – 10:40 | Zepherina Veitch Lecture,  Every Mother, Every Baby Matters: Midwifery Research Driving Health Equity, Professor Hora Soltani MBE | MIDIRS Search Pack: M24 Research: the value of.
i-learn module: Health inequalities: the power of maternity care | |||||
10:40 – 11:00 | Break | Break | |||||
11:10 – 11:50 | From theory to practice: Implementing decolonised midwifery curricula.
Afshan Ali, Susan Holbourn, University of Teesside and Jamie Morris, NHS Wales Performance and Improvement | MIDIRS Search Packs: M96 Institutional racism; M4 Pre-registration education.
i-learn module: Women with sickle cell | Priority 1 | Participation panel – Holly Lovell King’s College London, Adey Pinheiro-Aina and Makini Jones PROMISE study PPI group, Aimee Grant Swansea University. | Priority 3 | ||
11:50 – 12:20 | NMC practice learning review.
Dr Jacqui Williams, Julie Bliss NMC, Dr Janine Stockdale, Queens University Belfast and Dr Lucie Warren Cardiff University | i-learn module: Revalidation: an introduction | Priority 9 | Poster presentations
1. A Unique Approach to Smoking Cessation During Pregnancy. Louise Barton, Bournemouth University
2. Guideline-Aligned Preeclampsia Antenatal Care in Jordan: A Mixed-Methods Study. Shrouq S. Alsaraireh, Queen’s University Belfast
3. A phenomenological pilot study exploring the impact of the medicalisation of childbirth for final year students through a feminist lens. Carla Jayne Avery, Buckinghamshire New University/University of Staffordshire
4. Childbearing women’s perspectives and experiences of antenatal education in Saudi Arabia. Munirah Alatawi, University of Leeds
| Priority 5 | ||
12:20 – 13:20 | Lunch | Lunch | |||||
13:20 – 14:00 | Abstracts:
Decolonising Interventions in Midwifery Education.
Cultivating Resilience: Embedding PMA Days to Empower Midwifery Students | MIDIRS Search Packs: M96 Institutional racism; M4 Pre-registration education; M91 Coping and resilience in midwifery | Abstracts:
Scottish student midwives’ views on continuity of midwifery carer research.
Student midwives’ exposure to midwifery practice that supports physiological birth. | MIDIRS Search Packs: M3 Continuity of care; MS52 Physiological labour and birth; M26 Student midwives | |||
14:05 – 14:45 | Mapping the future: Career development in maternity care.
Dr Heather Bower, Caitlin Wilson, RCM Sophie Black, Chester University and Katherine Robinson, South Eastern Trust. | MIDIRS Search Packs: M5 Continuing professional development (CPD).
i-learn module: Exploring a career as a midwife or MSW researcher | Priority 9 | Creating Autism-affirming maternity care. Aimee Grant Swansea University | MIDIRS Search Packs: PN156 Autism; M101 Neurodiversity in midwifery.
i-learn module: Autism and pregnancy | Priority 10 | |
14:45 – 15:15 | Break | Break | |||||
15:15 – 15:50 | Abstracts:
1. Bringing Maternity Care Training to Life Through Immersive Storytelling.
2. Empowering Student Midwives through a coaching approach.
| MIDIRS Search Packs: M36 Learning and teaching methods | Abstracts:
Resourcing Compassion: Strengthening Midwives’ Wellbeing During Asylum-Seeking and Refugee Mental Health Care
2. Improving Representation in Maternity Research: The REPRESENT Study
| MIDIRS Search Packs: MS48 Refugees, asylum seekers and displaced people.
i-learn module: Understanding asylum seekers and refugees | |||
15:55 – 16:35 | Transforming maternity training through Mobile, AI, and VR.
Dr Andrew Darby-Smith & Dr Aggie Bebbington, Upskill.Health, Sophie Bohacs, Francesca Crane, University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire NHS Trust, Jessica Weeks and Stephanie Wells, Coventry & Warwickshire MNVP | MIDIRS Search Packs: M102 Artificial intelligence in midwifery and obstetrics; M88 Simulation-based training | Priority 23 | Writing for funding: turning strong ideas into funded projects. Jo Cull Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust | MIDIRS Search Pack: M79 Writing for publication.
i-learn module: An introduction to clinical research in the NHS | Priority 9 | |
16:40 – 17:10 | Small research awards & Fellows | ||||||
17:15 – 18:00 | Drinks reception (sponsored by MIDIRS) |
Stream one | Stream two | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Time | Session title | Resources | Research priority | Session title | Resources | Research priority | |
8:30 – 9:00 | Registration, networking and posters | ||||||
9:00 – 9:40 | Abstracts:
1. Interpreting Safety: Evaluating a CPD Course for Multilingual Healthcare Professionals.
2. Antenatal education in community languages: a pilot across Southeast London
| MIDIRS Search Packs: MS75 Culturally sensitive maternity care; M5 Continuing professional development (CPD) | Abstracts:
1. Exploring barriers and facilitators of PMTCT informed choice in Brazil.
2. Emotional wellbeing and retention of newly qualified midwives
| MIDIRS Search Packs: MS32 Informed choice; M97 Newly qualified midwives.
i-learn module Midwifery continuity of carer implementation. | |||
9:45 – 10:15 | The challenges of midwifery education in 2025.
Fiona Gibb and Dr Heather Bower, RCM | MIDIRS Search Packs :M4 Pre-registration education | Priority 9 | Making numbers meaningful: building confidence in reading quantitative research. Prof Yemisi Takwoingi, University of Birmingham | MIDIRS Search Packs: M60 Research: statistical methods.
i-learn module: Embedding clinical research into practice | Priority 9 | |
10:15 – 10:45 | Break | Break | |||||
10:45 – 11:25 | Have we cracked it? Continuity and partnership working in student supervision and assessment in practice.
Dr Lucie Warren, Cardiff University, Hannah Hall , Aneurin Bevan UHB & Kate Shinkwin Cardiff & Vale UHB | Priority 9 | Poster presentations
1. Embedding Good Clinical Practice into Midwifery Education. Edel Clare, University of Bedfordshire
2. A survey assessing midwifery knowledge and experience of congenital cytomegalovirus. Alice Pooley, Imperial College London
3. Women’s decisions on prescribed psychiatric medication use during pregnancy. Jessica Correia
| ||||
11:30 – 12:00 | Mental health, wellbeing and students | i-learn module: RCM Student essentials | Priority 15 | Panel session re creative methods.
Laura Abbott University of Hertfordshire, Marie-Clare Balaam University of Lancashire and Emily Underwood-Lee University of South Wales | Priority 3 | ||
12:00 – 13:00 | Lunch | Lunch | |||||
13:00 – 13:40 | Abstracts:
1. Midwifery educators’ perceptions and readiness for integrating generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in teaching and learning. An exploratory case study.
2. Undergraduate midwifery students’ experiences of directed and non-directed personal study time
| MIDIRS Search Packs: M102 Artifical intelligence in midwifery and obstetrics; M26 Student midwives
i-learn module: RCM Student essentials | Abstracts:
1. The Facilitators and Barriers to Understanding Families’ Wider Support Needs.
2. Infant feeding in the context of severe mental illness
| MIDIRS Search Packs: PN202 Perinatal mental health: general references and outcomes.
i-learn module: A companion to the Maternity Disadvantage Assessment Tool MatDAT | |||
13:45 – 14:15 | Immersive innovation: Virtual reality and simulation in midwifery education. Joanne Davies, Swansea University and Janine Stockdale, Queen’s University Belfast | MIDIRS Search Packs: M88 Simulation-based training | Priority 15 | Validation of the City Birth Trauma Scale to assess post-traumatic stress symptoms in maternity staff. Alice McInnes, NHS Tayside | MIDIRS Search Pack:M98 Psychological safety | Priority 9 | |
14:15 – 14:45 | Break | Break | |||||
14:45 – 15:15 | Genomics in maternity care: upskilling midwives for a changing healthcare landscape. Ed Miller, NHS England | MIDIRS Search Pack: P203 Genomics.
i-learn module: Genetics and genomics for midwifery practice | Priority 3 | Understanding the impact of immigration status on maternal and child health.
Hannah Rayment-Jones & Zenab Barry King’s College London | MIDIRS Search Pack: MS48 Refugees, asylum seekers and displaced people.
i-learn module: Understanding asylum seekers and refugees | Priority 1 | |
15:20 – 16:00 | Who Defines Midwifery? Gender, Power, and the Stories We Tell About Education and Practice. Sam Chenery-Morris and Jo Divers, University of Suffolk | MIDIRS Search Pack: M77 Leadership | Priority 9 | Shifting birth spaces: why midwifery led units are losing ground.
Dr. Rachel Rowe, UK Midwifery Study System
| MIDIRS Search Pack: M28 Midwife led care.
I-learn module: Promoting midwife led care | Priority 21 | |
Munchkin Flow is an innovative addition to the lactation support toolbox. It is designed to visualise milk transfer from mother to baby during breastfeeding, reflecting the natural feeding process and offering insight into each infant’s unique pattern of suckling and swallowing. Flow serves as a short-term educational and assessment tool, supporting midwives in strengthening both clinical observation and maternal confidence.
Flow is intended for the moments that matter, not for every feed and not as a long term solution. Its purpose is to be used briefly to reassure, teach or troubleshoot, before returning to direct breastfeeding. The visual feedback can be particularly valuable when exclusive breastfeeding feels challenging, such as during periods of low confidence, anxiety, limited support, latch difficulties, cluster feeding concerns or transition from pumping to breastfeeding.
For example a mother influenced by a non supportive environment may benefit from visibly demonstrating that she is producing milk. A mother with with an adequate supply who doubts whether her baby is receiving enough milk may gain reassurance and learn how to recognise active swallowing.
As with any innovation Flow takes time to be fully understood. We invite you to join our professional webinar and request samples to explore its clinical potential.
SAVE TIME. INCREASE QUALITY. SCALE CAPACITY.
iRIS makes scenarios faster to design, easier to manage, and aligned to
the standards that matter, all while scaling delivery and easing the
pressure on your team.
iRIS is a web-based AI-Powered scenario design and management
system built for modern healthcare simulation teams. It brings structure,
consistency, and speed to scenario development with AI assistants, guided authoring, embeddedbest-practice, simulator integrations and collaborative workflows that support governance and quality. Simulation educators can create, review, version, and publish scenarios in one place then share content across programs and export to major simulator ecosystems.
Upskill combines mobile, AI and Virtual Reality (VR) technologies to deliver bitesize, on-the-job training for NHS midwives. Through collaborating with service users sharing personal lived experience as case studies, they’re focused on amplifying women’s voices and getting better, more impactful training to frontline staff.
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/upskill-health
clinicalskills.net is the best online educational resource in the UK to support training and best practice in clinical skills. Tens of thousands of NHS healthcare professionals an students use almost 500 fully illustrated guides to clinical procedures, which are all written subject matter experts and fully peer reviewed and supported by national and international evidence. As well as studying or reviewing the evidence-based clinical topics, user can complete their CPD records, or take assessments as required by their organisations. Plus, later this year, we will be launching a new interactive clinical evaluation tool!
Watch our video that looks back at 2024 and forward to new content and website changes for 2025 https://youtu.be/tPOrZk85nNa
The Brazelton Centre UK is a national charity dedicated to promoting and strengthening early relationships between babies and their caregivers. Its work is highly relevant to professionals who support families from pregnancy through the early postnatal period, including midwives, health visitors, neonatal staff, and early years practitioners. The Centre trains professionals in two internationally recognised approaches: the Newborn Behavioural Observations (NBO) system and the Neonatal Behavioural Assessment Scale (NBAS). These tools deepen understanding of newborn behaviour, enabling practitioners to guide parents in recognising their baby’s cues, capacities, and unique temperament.
For those working closely with families, the Brazelton Centre’s approaches offer practical ways to enhance parent–infant bonding, support responsive caregiving, and build parental confidence during a time of significant transition. When integrated into routine practice—whether antenatally, on the postnatal ward, or during community visits—NBO-informed conversations help parents feel more attuned to their baby’s needs, reducing anxiety and fostering secure early relationships.
The Brazelton Centre UK also provides research, resources, and campaigns that grow and share knowledge on infant behaviour with families, professionals, and maternity and early years services. Overall, the Brazelton approach supports practitioners, including midwives, in delivering relationship-centred, compassionate care that brings the baby’s voice to the centre.
Social media
- Instagram @BrazeltonUK
- LinkedIn Brazelton Centre UK
- X @BrazeltonUK
- Facebook @BrazeltonUK
Genomics England is a global leader in enabling genomic medicine and research, focused on creating a world where everyone benefits from genomic healthcare. Building on the 100,000 Genomes Project, they support the NHS’s world-first national whole genome sequencing service and run the growing National Genomic Research Library, alongside delivering numerous major genomics initiatives including the Generation Study. By connecting research and clinical care at national scale, they enable immediate healthcare benefits and advances for the future.
The Generation Study is a research programme being delivered by Genomics England in partnership with the NHS. It aims to recruit 100,000 newborn babies, whose genomes will be sequenced after birth (with their parents’ consent). The study aims to facilitate the earlier identification of rare genetic conditions in babies, to gather genomic data for wider research purposes and to explore the risks and benefits of storing an individual’s genome over their lifetime. www.generationstudy.co.uk
CMV Action is the only UK charity offering advice and support to families affected by congenital CMV (cCMV).
Most healthy adults and children who become infected with CMV (Cytomegalovirus) will have no signs, symptoms or long term effects from CMV. However, it can pose serious problems to unborn babies if a women is infected for the first time during pregnancy and it passes through to her unborn baby.
Congenital CMV (cCMV) is when a baby has been infected before birth. It is one of the leading causes of non-genetic hearing loss in children and one of the main causes of childhood disability. Around 1000 babies will be impacted by cCMV each year with a range of physical, sensory and cognitive disabilities.
We offer advice, support and connection to anyone affected by cCMV. We have support groups, a WhatsApp community and helpline all supported by lived-experience and our Family Advisory Panel.
We support medical professionals and all our advice is based on clinical research and current practices with input from our medical professional advisors.
We’re here to support families and promote education and research of cCMV. We welcome all opportunities to share about cCMV and the charity
- Instagram: CMV_Action
- LinkedIn: CMV Action
- Facebook: CMV Action UK | Facebook
Ellescope delivers cutting-edge digital risk-intelligence for maternity care underpinned by our biopsychosocial, analytical and predictive AI models that proactively and dynamically evaluate maternal health risks at every stage of pregnancy, as well as predict the likelihood of the most common causes of maternal deaths, in particular poor mental health outcomes. Intended for use by midwives, obstetricians and primary care physicians, enabling clear preventive care actions for clinicians.
Social media:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ellescope/
Accelerating solutions for life’s most important moments
By offering healthcare providers a comprehensive range of innovative medical solutions, we help them deliver rapid results, effective treatments, and more options at the right time, so that women, babies, and families can experience more possibilities, faster than ever.
From reproductive care to fertility, birth, and women’s health, CooperSurgical’s trusted family of brands provide innovative solutions throughout your patient’s lifetime.
When the time is now, CooperSurgical leads the industry in next-generation fertility and birth solutions that support clinical efficiency and engaged and supported patients. All to help conceive, deliver, and protect healthy babies.
Social media
LinkedIn: coopersurgical-medical-devices
Facebook: CooperSurgical-Medical-Devices
Instagram: coopersurgicalmedicaldevices
The NIHR fund, enable and deliver world-leading health and social care research that improves people’s health and wellbeing, and promotes economic growth.
The NIHR Nursing and Midwifery vision is to inspire midwives and nurses to improve health outcomes through research. Their aim is to enable midwives and nurses who support, deliver or lead research to develop and work to their potential, and to develop a pipeline of skilled research midwives and nurses at all stages in their career.
MIDIRS (Midwives Information & Resource Service) provides evidence-based resources to support  for students, midwives and MSWs, in their professional and academic development.
The Birthrate Plus® workforce planning calculation determines the required total midwifery workforce establishment for all hospital and community services, whilst the Acuity App assesses real time staffing based on the clinical needs of women and babies for intrapartum and ward areas. Together they support the provision of safe and effective care which is both sensitive and responsive to changes in acuity and workforce.
We’re the independent regulator of more than 853,000 nurses, midwives and nursing associates. Our vision is safe, effective and kind nursing and midwifery practice for everyone.
Our vision is safe, effective and kind nursing and midwifery practice that improves everyone’s health and wellbeing.
As the independent regulator of more than 853,000 nursing and midwifery professionals, we have an important role to play in making this a reality.
Our core role is to regulate. First, we promote high education and professional standards for nurses and midwives across the UK, and nursing associates in England. Second, we maintain the register of professionals eligible to practise. Third, we investigate concerns about nurses, midwives and nursing associates – something that affects a tiny minority of professionals each year. We believe in giving professionals the chance to address concerns, but we’ll always take action when needed.
Social media
Instagram –www.instagram.com/nmcnews/
LinkedIn – www.linkedin.com/company/the-nursing-and-midwifery-council/mycompany/
X – Nursing and Midwifery Council (@nmcnews) / X
Facebook – www.facebook.com/nmcuk
Education
A collaborative approach to perinatal pelvic health: Pilot integration of midwifery and physiotherapy training
Number: 2
Read more
Safe, personalised care for women and birthing people is a central aim of recent maternity reports in England (NHS England, 2016; 2023). Achieving this requires effective multidisciplinary collaboration, as highlighted in several reviews of maternity services reporting on women’ birthing peoples experiences and maternity outcomes (Ockenden Report 2022; Felker et al 2024). In response, one local health region introduced an innovative interprofessional education model to enhance collaboration between midwifery and physiotherapy learners in Perinatal Pelvic Health clinics.
The pilot project aimed to embed pelvic health education into antenatal care pathways and prepare learners for integrated, preventative practice. Midwifery students undertook a one-week spoke placement within physiotherapy-led leadership placements, engaging in pelvic health clinics, contributing to antenatal education initiatives, and participating in a national podcast.
Findings demonstrated that interprofessional placements improved learners’ understanding of system-based maternity care, enhanced access to underrepresented placement experiences, and supported the achievement of NMC (2019) proficiencies. Students developed confidence in addressing pelvic health concerns, explored digital health tools, and gained leadership experience through quality improvement projects. The pilot also addressed cultural considerations in pelvic health, including the needs of trans and minoritised ethnic communities.
The service evaluation highlighted positive learner experiences, improved knowledge of referral pathways, and strengthened interprofessional communication. This model supports the co-creation of preventative, person-centred services and aligns with public health goals to improve lifelong maternal well-being.
Crucially, learning together enables midwifery and physiotherapy students to understand each other’s roles, build mutual respect, and develop the collaborative skills essential for delivering holistic, equitable care. Embedding interprofessional education in maternity education fosters a future workforce that is better equipped to meet the complex pelvic health needs of women and birthing people across the care continuum.
Education
Exploring midwifery students’ intrapartum experiences: Qualitative insights for practice and education
Number: 1
Read more
Background: To qualify as registered midwives, student midwives are required to have proficient skills to optimise the normal physiological processes during the childbearing continuum which includes the intrapartum period (labour and birth). There are a wide range of optimisation techniques, processes and/or interventions that could be learned, however their learning is dependent on whether the student has been exposed to them within their practice environment on clinical placement. There are many reasons for variations in practice-based experiences, so while students who meet their proficiencies will all qualify as midwives, little is known regarding how student midwives feel or have experienced the learning of ‘how’ to optimise the physiological processes during intrapartum care.
Objective: The broad purpose of this study was to provide initial and exploratory evidence regarding student midwives’ experiences of optimising physiological processes during labour and birth across the spectrum of ‘risk’. This abstract will focus on some of the qualitative insights captured that explore their views and experiences of intrapartum learning and in particular how to optimise physiological processes.
Method: A mixed method survey was used to capture – a) the views and experiences of student midwives (qualitative insights) and b) their exposure to a range of optimisation techniques (quantitative insights). Third year student midwives were purposively recruited from two cohorts via online methods, including email and departmental Yammer page, and advertised in person during cohort sessions. 43 students completed the mixed methods survey from a potential sample of 176 students (response rate = 24%). Qualitative data, reported here, were analysed using descriptive analysis as per Sandelowski.
Ethics: University ethics approval was gained.
Results: Final analyses are underway with results ready by December 2025.
Conclusions: Given there is little evidence to date, we anticipate this research will generate new lines of enquiry while also contributing to the current evidence base, in which strengths and gaps in the clinical placement areas and/or the academic setting can be identified with future work designed to explore improvements.