General FAQs

What is The Perinatal Academy?
The Perinatal Academy is an education provider that's all about supporting people who want to work in the amazing world of pregnancy, birth, and early parenthood. Our founder Sam birthed The Perinatal Academy in 2022 because she wanted to create something different, training that's modern, comprehensive, and truly supportive long term. We offer FEDANT-accredited programs for future antenatal educators and doulas who are passionate about making a real difference to families and want to transform their own lives!

What's important to us at The Perinatal Academy?
Our values are built around:

Inclusivity: Welcoming ALL students, with the aim that they will be supporting ALL families safely and inclusively
Evidence-based practice: Providing current, evidence based information and real world experience
Cultural safety: Ensuring our training and approach respects diverse cultures and experiences, we are always learning and unlearning
Long-term support: We're not just here for your training, we're here for your whole journey - this is SO important to us here
Community: Even though you are running your own business you are not alone!

Are your training programs accredited?
Absolutely! All our major programs are FEDANT-accredited, which is brilliant because FEDANT is the UK's leading regulatory body for perinatal professionals. This means you'll meet all the professional standards and can access subsidised insurance rates. Basically, you'll be qualified and ready to go.

Is The Perinatal Academy's training inclusive and supportive for neurodiverse students?
This is something we're really passionate about. Our training programs are designed to welcome and support everyone. Every program includes cultural safety and LGBTQIA+ inclusivity training, though it is weaved into our content and ethos.

Language is very important to us (pregnant people, birthing parent, mother, human)

Supporting neurodiverse learners:
We have a dedicated Inclusivity and Neurodiversity Lead - the lovely April, her whole role is making sure every single student feels supported throughout their journey with us. April is responsible for:

Providing personalised support for neurodivergent learners
Adapting materials and approaches when needed
Making sure our training environment works for all learning styles

If you have specific learning needs or just want to chat about how we can best support you, please reach out. We're genuinely committed to making our programs work for everyone, we welcome all learning styles and neurodiversity.

Do I need previous healthcare or teaching experience?
Not at all! You don't need any healthcare or teaching background for our training programs. We love welcoming career changers from every walk of life that's what makes our community so rich and diverse. What really matters is your passion for supporting families and whether you connect with our inclusive approach to perinatal education and our vibe is right for you!

What payment options are available?
We totally get that investing in training is a big decision, so we've made it as flexible as possible. All our programs offer payment plans Plus, we offer early bird discounts if you book in advance so keep an eye out for those on our socials.

What is the class size and how often do courses run?
We keep our classes on the smaller size usually 6-8 students, never more than 10. This means you get personal attention and can build real connections with your fellow students. It makes such a difference to the learning experience! We run courses regularly throughout the year, you can find all dates here

Is The Perinatal Academy suitable for international students?
We absolutely welcome international students (about 2% of our lovely cohort comes from overseas), but we want to be upfront our training focuses on UK birth practices and regulations. If you're planning to work outside the UK, you'll need to think about how the content applies to your local context and what the requirements are where you'll be practicing. The FEDANT accreditation is international.

What if I need to defer or extend my training?
We completely understand that sometimes things don't go to plan. Our whole approach is about making sure you can complete your qualification successfully, whatever life throws at you so always talk to us if you are dealing with any curveballs!

How do I apply for training at The Perinatal Academy?
We love to chat about which training might suit your goals and dreams so do reach out. You can find all our course information and info packs here plus how to book a free call