Communicate with individuals about promoting their health and wellbeing — Awarding Body for the Built Environment Occupational Qualification Health & Social Care Revision

    This subtopic develops learners' competence in communicating with individuals to promote health and wellbeing within maternity support. It explores the int

    Topic Synopsis

    This subtopic develops learners' competence in communicating with individuals to promote health and wellbeing within maternity support. It explores the interplay between lifestyle, health, and wellbeing, and the factors that influence these, enabling learners to engage in sensitive, person-centred conversations. Practical skills include assessing readiness to change, providing tailored health information, and encouraging positive health behaviours in expectant and new mothers.

    Key Concepts & Core Principles

    Exam Tips & Revision Strategies

    Common Misconceptions & Mistakes to Avoid

    Examiner Marking Points

    Communicate with individuals about promoting their health and wellbeing

    AWARDING BODY FOR THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT
    vocational

    This subtopic develops learners' competence in communicating with individuals to promote health and wellbeing within maternity support. It explores the interplay between lifestyle, health, and wellbeing, and the factors that influence these, enabling learners to engage in sensitive, person-centred conversations. Practical skills include assessing readiness to change, providing tailored health information, and encouraging positive health behaviours in expectant and new mothers.

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    Learning Outcomes
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    Assessment Guidance
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    Key Skills
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    Key Terms
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    Assessment Criteria

    Assessment criteria

    ABBE Level 3 Diploma in Healthcare Support (Maternity)

    Topic Overview

    The ABBE Level 3 Diploma in Healthcare Support (Maternity) is a specialist qualification designed for healthcare assistants and support workers who wish to work in maternity services. It covers the essential knowledge and skills needed to provide safe, compassionate, and effective support to women, their partners, and newborns during pregnancy, labour, birth, and the postnatal period. This diploma is part of the wider Health & Social Care framework and aligns with the NHS Career Framework, enabling learners to progress into roles such as Maternity Support Worker or Assistant Practitioner.

    The qualification focuses on key areas including antenatal and postnatal care, infant feeding, neonatal care, and the recognition of complications. It also emphasises the importance of communication, safeguarding, and working within multidisciplinary teams. By completing this diploma, students gain a deep understanding of the physiological and emotional changes during the maternity journey, as well as the legal and ethical responsibilities of a healthcare support worker. This knowledge is critical for ensuring positive outcomes for mothers and babies and reducing health inequalities.

    In the context of the wider Health & Social Care sector, maternity support is a growing field with increasing demand for skilled workers. The ABBE Level 3 Diploma provides a solid foundation for further study, such as nursing or midwifery degrees, or direct entry into the workforce. It equips students with practical competencies and theoretical understanding, making them valuable members of the maternity care team. Mastery of this qualification demonstrates a commitment to high-quality, patient-centred care and opens doors to a rewarding career in one of the most fulfilling areas of healthcare.

    Key Concepts

    Core ideas you must understand for this topic

    • →Antenatal care: Understanding the schedule of appointments, screening tests, and monitoring of maternal and fetal wellbeing, including blood pressure, urine analysis, and growth scans.
    • →Postnatal care: Supporting the mother's physical recovery, emotional wellbeing, and the establishment of breastfeeding, as well as monitoring the newborn's health, weight, and jaundice.
    • →Infant feeding: Knowledge of breastfeeding techniques, positioning, and attachment, as well as formula feeding safety, sterilisation, and responsive feeding cues.
    • →Recognition of complications: Identifying signs of pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, postpartum haemorrhage, sepsis, and neonatal distress, and knowing when to escalate concerns.
    • →Safeguarding and legal responsibilities: Understanding the Mental Capacity Act, consent, confidentiality, and the duty to protect vulnerable women and babies from harm or abuse.

    Learning Objectives

    What you need to know and understand

    • 1. Understand the relationship between health, wellbeing and lifestyle2. Understand factors influencing health and wellbeing3. Be able to communicate with individuals and others when promoting health and wellbeing4. Be able to encourage individuals to address issues relating to their health and wellbeing

    Assessment Criteria

    Key criteria assessors look for in your portfolio

    • Award credit for demonstrating active listening and empathy when discussing sensitive health topics with women and their families.
    • Expect evidence of using open-ended questioning techniques to explore lifestyle factors and their impact on maternal and foetal wellbeing.
    • Assessor should credit clear, non-judgemental communication that respects cultural and personal beliefs in health promotion dialogues.
    • Award marks for correctly identifying and applying models of behaviour change (e.g., stages of change) to encourage health improvement.
    • Evidence must show appropriate information-sharing tailored to the individual's level of understanding, avoiding medical jargon.

    Assessment Guidance

    Guidance for achieving higher grades

    • 💡In role-play or observational assessments, consistently open with permission-seeking phrases like 'Would it be okay if we talk about...' to establish rapport.
    • 💡Use a structured communication framework (e.g., Ask, Advise, Assist) to demonstrate systematic health promotion in recorded evidence.
    • 💡Always link your communication to the specific health challenges of maternity, such as smoking cessation, nutrition, or postnatal mental health.
    • 💡Document your interactions thoroughly in learning journals or reflective accounts to evidence the rationale behind your communication choices.
    • 💡During oral questioning, reference key policies like Making Every Contact Count (MECC) to show understanding of the wider health promotion context.
    • 💡Use the acronym 'SOAPIE' (Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan, Implementation, Evaluation) when documenting care – examiners look for structured, evidence-based record-keeping that reflects the nursing process.
    • 💡Link your answers to national guidelines, such as NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) or the NHS Long Term Plan. For example, when discussing postnatal care, reference the NICE guideline [NG194] on postnatal care up to 8 weeks after birth.
    • 💡In case studies, always consider the woman's holistic needs – physical, emotional, social, and cultural. Mentioning the importance of informed choice and consent (Mental Capacity Act 2005) will earn higher marks.

    Common Mistakes

    Common errors to avoid in your coursework

    • Assuming that an individual is ready to change their lifestyle without first assessing their motivation and confidence.
    • Using closed or leading questions that restrict the individual's opportunity to express their own health concerns.
    • Failing to check the individual's comprehension after providing health information, leading to potential misunderstanding of advice.
    • Overlooking the influence of social determinants such as housing, income, or family support on the person's ability to adopt healthier behaviours.
    • Neglecting to maintain confidentiality or gain consent when discussing health matters, which breaches professional codes.
    • Misconception: Maternity support workers only assist midwives during labour. Correction: They play a vital role across the entire maternity pathway, including antenatal clinics, postnatal wards, community visits, and parent education classes.
    • Misconception: Breastfeeding is instinctive and requires no support. Correction: Many mothers need practical and emotional support to establish breastfeeding; support workers must be trained in positioning, attachment, and troubleshooting common issues like sore nipples or low milk supply.
    • Misconception: Newborn jaundice is always harmless. Correction: While physiological jaundice is common, pathological jaundice can indicate serious conditions like haemolytic disease or infection; support workers must monitor bilirubin levels and know when to escalate.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Common questions students ask about this topic

    Before You Start

    Prior knowledge that will help with this topic

    • •Level 2 Diploma in Healthcare Support or equivalent (e.g., GCSEs in English and Maths at grade 4/C or above).
    • •Basic understanding of human anatomy and physiology, particularly the reproductive system and fetal development.
    • •Completion of mandatory training in basic life support, infection prevention and control, and safeguarding children and vulnerable adults.

    Key Terminology

    Essential terms to know

    • 1. Understand the relationship between health, wellbeing and lifestyle2. Understand factors influencing health and wellbeing3. Be able to communicate with individuals and others when promoting health and wellbeing4. Be able to encourage individuals to address issues relating to their health and wellbeing

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