Hours
37.5 per week
Starting salary
£18,400 + per year
Community nursery nurses provide services aimed at improving the health and well-being of families with children up to the age of eight.
As a community nursery nurse, you would first work closely under the supervision of a health visitor or school nurse to assess a family’s care needs. You would then work with the family to implement an agreed care or play plan.
Your clients could include:
You would offer support both in clinics, community centres, children's centres, schools or GP surgeries, and in clients’ homes. Your tasks could include:
You would keep records of your work, and attend staff meetings, case conferences and reviews.
As a full-time community nursery nurse, you would usually work 37.5 hours a week. Part-time posts are often available.
You would work in a variety of community settings, such as the client’s own home, clinics, community centres, schools or GP’s surgeries. Although the work is rewarding, you would need to be prepared to deal with challenging situations (such as verbal aggression or parents who are uncooperative) and with issues which could be distressing (for example domestic violence or bereavement).
Community nursery nurses can earn from around £18,400 to around £21,500 a year.
Additional payments may be made to those working in or around London.
Figures are intended as a guideline only.
To become a community nursery nurse you will need:
You will also need Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) clearance.
You may also need experience in a variety of settings and with families who need support.
Suitable nursery nursing qualifications include:
Entry requirements can vary, so you should check with course providers.
See the Nursery Nurse job profile for further details of qualifying and working as a nursery nurse.
Once you start work, you will receive training from your employer covering issues such as:
You will be expected to keep your skills and knowledge up to date throughout your career. You could do this by taking further training in subjects such as:
You may also be able to work towards a foundation degree or a Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health and Social Care and Children and Young People's Services.
There may be opportunities for speakers of a second language in some localities to reflect the nature of the local community.
Skills for Health Goldsmiths HouseBroad PlainBristolBS2 0JPTel: 0117 922 1155www.skillsforhealth.org.uk
NHS Careers PO Box 2311BristolBS2 2ZX Tel: 0345 60 60 655www.nhscareers.nhs.uk
Health Learning and Skills Advice LineTel: 08000 150850
Department for Education - Early Learning and Childcare Castle View HouseEast LaneRuncornCheshire WA7 2GJ Tel: 0370 000 2288www.education.gov.uk/childrenandyoungpeople/earlylearningandchildcare
Pre-school Learning Alliance National Centre The Fitzpatrick Building188 York WayLondonN7 9ADTel: 020 7697 2500 www.pre-school.org.uk
You will find most job opportunities within health visiting teams run by your local NHS Primary Care Trust. Many vacancies are advertised through the NHS Jobs website, as well as in the national and local press.
With experience and qualifications, you could move outside the NHS into nursery or play centre management. You could also go on to set up your own nursery. See the Ofsted and National Day Nursery Association websites for details.
As a community nursery nurse, you will also have a basis for further training for a career in social work, family support work, health promotion and hospital play.
The health sector is represented by Skills for Health Sector Skills Council, which comprises three sub‐sectors:
The health sector is made up of hospitals, doctors’ surgeries, dental practices, the ambulance service, nursing homes, residential care homes, complementary medicine and a huge range of other health related activities, from sight tests in opticians to research in medical laboratories. Most people in the health sector work in the publicly funded National Health Service (NHS), which includes:
NHS policy in England is directed from the centre by the Department of Health. Local organisations, known as Primary Care Trusts (PCTs), are in charge of providing and commissioning services, controlling the majority of the budget. PCTs are overseen by 10 regional organisations called Strategic Health Authorities (SHAs).
The independent sector includes companies and charities that offer hospital and specialist services usually after referral from a doctor. Operations and other work are carried out in private hospitals, independent treatment centres, mental health units and hospices.
Key facts:
There is a varied list of jobs in the sector ranging from a diverse number of clinical roles, to support and infrastructure staff, for instance: Allied Health Professionals (AHPs); Ambulance Staff; Dental Staff; Doctors/Medical staff; Nursing staff; Midwifery Staff; Healthcare Scientists; Health Informatics Staff; Management; Wider Healthcare Team; Complementary Therapists.
High proportions of the health sector workforce are located in:
[N.B. Data derived from Labour Force Survey, 2008‐2009, Annual Business Inquiry, 2007, and Northern Ireland Census of Employment, 2007]
NHS Careers has sections on:
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