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Core Competencies and Educational Framework for Maternity Services in Australia Project

This project is co-sponsored by the Maternity Services Interjurisdictional Committee and the National Health Workforce Taskforce. The aim of this project is to determine core competencies and to develop an educational framework for the provision of safe, effective and appropriate maternity services across Australia. The project team includes researchers from the University of Technology, Sydney; the University of Sydney, Australian National University, Southern Cross University, Lismore and Charles Darwin University.

This project commenced in September 2008 and concludes in June 2010. The outcomes for this project are the development of:

  • A Maternity Service Core Competency Model that identifies core competency standards for the provision of antenatal, intrapartum and postpartum care in a range of settings; and
  • A flexible Educational Framework that will act as a benchmark for training, educating and assessing professionals in maternity care.

The project is divided into two parts:

  • Part 1: The identification and development of a Maternity Service Competency Model. This model is being used to inform Part 2 of the project.
  • Part 2: The development of an Educational Framework for Maternity Services in Australia.

Core competencies

Part one of the project is now complete. The focus of part one was the development of core competencies for primary maternity services and the care of pregnant, birthing and postpartum women who are considered to be of normal risk.

The Core Competencies for Primary Maternity Services Model (PDF, 520kB) provides important background information about the development of the core competencies for primary maternity services in Australia. It also provides all the details on the consultation process for part one of the project and the developed competencies. As the project is not yet complete it is important to note that the final Competency Model document will be released in June 2010 at the projects' completion.

Educational framework

Part two of the project is well underway. To date the project has been in a process of developing the draft Educational Framework for Maternity Services to address Outcome 2 of the project. The core competencies have provided guidance to the development of this framework. The Educational Framework identifies educational principles that are broad and general and support the Core Competencies for Primary Maternity Services Model. This framework has been developed as a benchmark for the training, education and assessing of professionals involved in maternity care and to inform the development of curricula for providers of primary maternity services.

The project is now entering a wider consultation process around the Educational Framework for Primary Maternity Services (PDF, 668kB). This part of the project is interested in your views about Part 2.

Feedback survey

We are currently seeking comment and feedback from all health care professionals who are involved in providing any aspect of maternity care as well as from consumers.

We hope that you can help us to develop the educational framework by answering the questions in our feedback survey.

Participate in the feedback survey and give further feedback before Friday 12th March 2010.

If you have are unable to access the document or require any other information about the project please contact Marnie Griffiths (Project officer - Marnie.Griffiths@uts.edu.au or 0412 117 415) who will mail you a copy of the document.

Should you have any concerns about the project or this survey, you can contact Professor Caroline Homer (02 9514 4886 or 0418 466 974).