Maternity Support Workers
How to become a maternity support worker/maternity care assistant
The role of a maternity support worker (known as maternity care assistant in Scotland) can be incredibly varied, taking you from clerical work to actively supporting women and families through an incredibly important time in their lives. Here you can find out about different MSW/MCA roles and how you could become one.
What does a MSW/MCA do?
The role and responsibilities of MSWs and MCAs vary according to their banding. They can go from housekeeping and admin all the way up to providing breastfeeding support to pregnant women.
Band 2
Staff can carry out a range of tasks that usually focus on housekeeping, administration and the personal care of mothers and babies. They will work in a range of maternity settings under the direct supervision of a midwife.
Band 3
Staff will undertake a range of delegated clinical duties. These may be in addition to the tasks undertaken in a Band 2 MSW role. They may work in a range of maternity settings, including delivering care to mothers and babies in their homes in the absence of a midwife.
Band 4
In addition to the duties that a MSW (Band 3) could undertake, will have additional responsibilities that require higher communication and organisational skills or specialist roles. Examples include: leading on a public health initiative, e.g. smoking cessation or having responsibility for the training and development of other MSWs.
What qualifications do I need to become an MSW/MCA?
Some employers stipulate basic educational requirements for a Band 2 or Band 3 MSW post. Employers will expect good standards of numeracy and literacy and may request GCSEs or equivalent. Employers may ask for a qualification in health and social care, nursery nursing or childcare, such as CACHE, NNEB, BTEC or NVQ or they may expect you to be prepared to undertake a qualification. Band 4 MSW posts will require evidence of education to diploma level.
MSW posts are advertised on NHS Jobs. You could also make enquiries at your local NHS Trust/Board for any vacancies. Once you have been successful in gaining an MSW role your employer will place you on the apprenticeship pathway.
Maternity Support Worker Advocates
We’re building a network of advocates who act to provide a voice for MSWs in their workplaces.
Becoming an activist and MSW advocate is a brilliant learning and development opportunity for the RCM’s MSW members. You’ll gain confidence, skills and knowledge which you can transfer to your own personal and career development and the RCM is committed to providing training and support to advocates by developing training and resources based on advocates’ needs.
The MSW advocate is not a formally accredited representative and you’ll need to be elected by your RCM branch.
Find out more about becoming an MSW advocate at our Activists hub.
MSW apprenticeships
An apprenticeship is a work-based training programme. It combines on-the-job training with a national recognised qualification. Tuition fees are paid by the employer or government funding and apprentices are paid a salary for their employment.
Apprenticeships are one training route to becoming a MSW and you can find out more about how to begin an apprenticeship at our apprenticeships page.
