Graduate Certificate
The Graduate Certificate in Child and Family Health Nursing aims to provide students with a sound understanding of child and family health nursing practice within a legal, moral and ethical framework that reflects current models of care, government policy, and practice initiatives. Nurses working, or intending to work, in the specialty of child and family health require a clear understanding of primary health care, health promotion, parent-infant attachment, and the social determinants of health. Students will explore family dynamics and the importance of connections between the child, family, and community.
The quality of early relationships and the environment in which a child is raised significantly affects their mental health and well-being. Using a strengths-based, family partnership approach, child and family health nurses provide psychosocial and practical support and guidance to new parents while building capacity in their parenting skills.
Health and developmental screening and surveillance of infants and young children are significant components of child and family health nursing practice. The course focuses on feeding and nutrition, safety and well-being, and growth and development in the early years from birth to age 5. The role of the child and family health nurse as a central point of access to multidisciplinary community health services will be discussed, and students will undertake 80 hours of clinical placement to consolidate their theoretical learning and apply it to practice.
Working in child and family health practice requires specialist skills and knowledge to meet the increasingly complex health care needs of children and families in the community. The Graduate Certificate in Child and Family Health Nursing responds to industry requirements by preparing students for practice, developing their educational needs, and fostering the professional skills and attributes they require to optimise health outcomes for the child and family.
Admission to GC courses is based on academic merit and selection. In addition, applicants must satisfy any prerequisites or additional requirements specified for particular courses, including ACN's general eligibility criteria.
All applicants seeking admission are required to:
Anyone applying for an ACN course that includes a clinical placement must provide evidence of compliance documents at the time of application.
Applications for enrolment will not be progressed until all relevant documentation has been received by Customer Services.
Each Australian state and territory has its own clinical placement documentation requirements. Further details are available on our Clinical Placement Information page, click on the tab for your particular state or territory for information on specific requirements.
Individual placement providers may need additional documentation. If you are required to provide this then you will be contacted by the Clinical Placement Officer following enrolment.
ACN negotiates with health care facilities to secure clinical placements. ACN will make every effort to secure clinical placements within the timeframe indicated in the course outline, however applicants are advised that provision and location of clinical placements is dependent on the availability of placements within the health facility.
As placements are difficult to secure, once confirmed these cannot be negotiated unless there is unforeseen extenuating circumstances. Applicants are not to arrange their own clinical placements with a clinical facility under any circumstances. ACN reserves the right to change clinical placements if necessary.
Students from both the Metropolitan and Rural and Remote areas of Western Australia will need to complete a Pre-clinical Skills Workshop at Curtin University as a pre-requisite prior to undertaking clinical placement in that state. If students can provide evidence that they have already had training and are deemed competent in clinical skills pertaining to Physical Assessment; Developmental Assessment; and Growth Assessment of Children/Adolescents, this may be accepted in place of the pre-skills workshop. This evidence has to be presented to Curtin University's Clinical Placement team for assessment.
More information about the clinical skills workshop can be found by following this link: https://payments.curtin.edu.au/CAA.
N.B. You can enrol into our course before completing this workshop but please be aware that clinical placement may be delayed if this pre-requisite has not been completed.
This course is designed to develop specific learning outcomes. Students will:
A Graduate Certificate in Child and Family Health Nursing is an investment in your future and will provide you with the knowledge and skills needed to ensure better outcomes for your patients and progress your career, leading to opportunities in clinical education, management and specialist nursing roles.
The Graduate Certificate in Child and Family Health Nursing is a one year course, consisting of four 10-week terms.
Students will need to complete 4 core units. One unit is studied per term.
Approximate hours of study are 12 - 15 hours per week.
For more details please visit the course website.