Specialist Practitioner: Community Children's Nursing Postgraduate Diploma - PgDip

Why study Specialist Practitioner: Community Children's Nursing at Liverpool John Moores University?
The Specialist Practitioner Community Children's Nursing qualification has been designed to equip learners with the knowledge and specialist skills to work as a SPQ CCN. The course will develop autonomous specialist practitioners who will be prepared to address the unique challenges of practice (beyond those of professional registration) to manage greater clinical complexity and risk, both in terms of the children, young people and families they care for, the caseloads they manage and the services they work within to address complex situations, advocating for individuals, families and communities. The course is delivered alongside the postgraduate diploma SPQ District Nursing and SCPHN School Nurse/Health Visitor.

About this course
Study at LJMU to complete a Specialist Practice Qualification in Community Children's Nursing with Integrated Supplementary and Non-Medical Prescribing (V300). This programme leads to recordable NMC qualifications in Specialist Practice and Independent and Supplementary Non-Medical Prescribing.


• Study for a Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) recordable qualification in Community Children's Nursing



• Learn from expert nurses and specialists on this contemporary course



• Benefit from a curriculum praised by the NMC for its enhanced practice perspective and outstanding fitness for practice



• Have your professional competencies (NMC, 2022) assessed in theory and practice



• Experience practice placements



The key principles covered in the course include:


- advanced communication and clinical skills


- meeting the needs of culturally diverse communities


- effective collaboration with stakeholders


- advocating the rights and needs of vulnerable populations


- recognising public health needs


- addressing inequalities and compassionate leadership.


Please note: This course will only run subject to minimum numbers.

These principles are underpinned by the seven platforms of specialist practice (NMC, 2022) and enable community children’s nurses to make autonomous decisions, in situations that require them to manage greater clinical complexity and risk, both in terms of the people they care for, the caseloads they manage and the services they work within, which in turn may be integrated with other agencies, professionals and disciplines.

Academic research and theoretical perspectives contribute to the generation of innovative practice development and the extension of professional roles. This programme is therefore designed to create critically reflective and responsive practitioners who will synthesise new knowledge to develop practice within the dynamic political context of children and young people’s health and social care. Practitioners will be prepared for future leadership roles in multi-professional, multi-agency teams who will work in increasingly complex environments.

Specialist practitioner students are aspiring to the role of a specialist practitioner community children’s nurse who is required to undertake additional education to ensure safe and effective practice within complex and sensitive settings whilst working with children, young people and their families. It is their personal and professional responsibility to do so and the course facilitates this within legal, ethical and competency frameworks related to practice. Valuing and challenging previous experiences prepares students to exercise higher levels of clinical autonomy within a framework of patient-led partnerships to meet the diverse needs of children and young people and their families.