Program Overview

Postgraduate Credit Advanced Clinical Skills in Tongue Tie (Ankyloglossia) Management

Overview

This highly specialised course will enable you to demonstrate to employers and potential employers your knowledge and skills relevant to working in lactation, breastfeeding support and frenotomy services. It will provide the theoretical and evidence-based theory which underpins contemporary practice and helps you to develop advanced techniques in tongue-tie (ankyloglossia) management.

Why choose this course?

This course is currently the most comprehensive tongue tie course in the world. We have a range of international experts in their field who lecture on the course. These include Alison Hazel Baker and Prof Mira Jalili, Sarah Oakley and Helen Caulfield. As well as other experienced and renowned tongue tie practitioners such as Lisa Williams.

What skills will you gain?

Tongue ties have been recognised as an important issue within maternity care. Referral rates are increasing. Therefore, employers are looking for practitioners with a sound knowledge base and demonstrable skills in this area.

This course will prepare you on how to assess, diagnose and then intervene in a case of tongue tie which is affecting a baby’s ability to feed. Please note we do not teach revisions of previous frenotomies or frenotomy after 8 weeks of delivery.

Entry Requirements

• You must be a qualified midwife, nurse or health visitor on the Nursing and Midwifery Council register or a medical practitioner on the General Medical Council register with significant experience in breastfeeding support, lactation services and an interest in ankyloglossia and frenulotomy.
• You must have had a least three years’ post-qualifying experience.
• If seeking financial support from an employer you must have agreed this in advance of the application. You must be able to achieve the practice competencies associated with this course. The University can arrange this on your behalf via our partner organisation The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust or you can arrange your own clinical placements for supervision by an ankyloglossia/frenulotomy practitioner.
• Within the personal statement section applicants should identify their professional registration number, their experience of breastfeeding support and lactation services and whether they would prefer to have their placement organised by the University at our partner organisation (The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust) or if they will be arranging their own placement.
• You will also be asked to confirm that you have a valid Disclosure and Barring Service check (from your employer within the last three years) and proof of occupational health clearance (from your employer).

Funding

• Postgraduate Loyalty Discount: You can get 20% discount on a taught postgraduate course if you’re a University of Wolverhampton Graduate.
• Self-funded: If you are paying for the fees yourself then the fees can be paid in 3 instalments: November, January and April.
• Sponsored - Your employer, embassy or organisation can pay for your Tuition fees: Your employer, embassy or organisation agrees to pay all or part of your tuition fees; the University will refer to them as your sponsor and will invoice them for the appropriate amount.
• Financial Hardship: Students can apply to the Dennis Turner Opportunity Fund for help with course related costs however this cannot be used for fees or to cover general living costs.
• Charitable Funding: You might also want to explore the possibility of funding from charitable trusts. Please contact Association of Charitable Foundations, Directory of Social Change or Family Aid. Most charities and trust funds offer limited bursaries targeted to specific groups of students so you will need to research whether any of them are relevant to your situation.

Course Modules

• Advanced Clinical Skills in tongue tie (ankyloglossia) management
  • Module: 7MI001
  • Credits: 10
  • Period: 1
  • Type: Core

Tongue Tie is a common problem in newborn babies that can lead to feeding, speech and dental problems. This course is designed to develop the practitioner's comprehensive understanding of tongue tie and the evidence based management of babies with this condition. On completion of the course the practitioner will be able to demonstrate competence in performing frenulotomy and a systematic understanding of communicating with parents. It is intended that the delivery of this course will be as a single study day that can be accessed by any registered practitioner. A certificate of attendance will be awarded. For those practitioners who wish to become competence at frenulotomy and gain full accreditation, assessment of theory and clinical practice will have to be achieved.

Potential Career Paths

You will be prepared for assessing and managing tongue-tie in infants and be equipped with the tools to provide advice and support to families. On successfully completing the course you will exit with both 20 academic credit at Level 7 and the confidence to start practising as a tongue-tie practitioner.