Australian College of Nursing
Graduate Certificate in Child and Family Health Nursing
- Delivery: Online
- Study Level: Postgraduate
- Duration: 12 months
Understand psychosocial, practical support and guidance to new parents while building capacity in their parenting skills.
Course overview
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 course focuses on feeding and nutrition, safety and well-being and growth and development in the early years from birth to age 5. It will discuss the role of the child and family health nurse as a central point of access to multidisciplinary community health services. Students will undertake 80 hours of clinical placement to consolidate their theoretical learning and apply it to practice.
Key facts
What you will study
To complete the Graduate Certificate in Child and Family Health Nursing, a student must fulfil four units of study.
Core units
- Advancing Professional Practice
- Infant and Child Nutrition and Feeding
- Child Development in the Family Context
- Family and Child Health
Entry requirements
Admission to graduate certificate 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:
- Hold a Bachelor of Nursing or registered nurse equivalent qualification.
- Hold current registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) or the equivalent registering authority in your country of origin.
- Meet the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia English language skills registration standard (nursing and midwifery) - please refer to the AHPRA website to download the standard.
- Have a minimum of one year of postgraduate experience.
- Be currently employed in the clinical area of specialisation.
For some graduate certificate units of study, individual consideration may be given to applicants who are not registered nurses.
The course contains a compulsory clinical placement component and does not require applicants to be employed in the clinical area of specialisation.
Outcomes
Learning outcomes
This course is designed to develop specific learning outcomes. Students will:
- Demonstrate the knowledge, skills and attributes required of the child and family health nurse in their speciality context, benchmarked against current research, policy guidelines and practice standards.
- Examine the principles of primary health care, health promotion and the social determinants of health to support optimal health outcomes for young children and their families.
- Apply a strengths-based, family partnership model of care to support mental health and well-being parenting capacity and infant-parent attachment.
- Evaluate the impact of social, cultural, community and environmental factors on the health and well-being of the child and family in the early years.
- Analyse the evidence-based assessment and screening tools that support and monitor family and children’s health, safety, nutrition, growth and development.
- Appraise the role of the child and family health nurse as a central point of access to multidisciplinary and multicultural community health services, non-government organisations, resources and networks.
Fees and FEE-HELP
Estimated total 2025 member price (10% discount): $12,221.5 (domestic full-fee paying place)
Estimated total 2025 non-member price: $13,579 (domestic full-fee paying place)
Being a part of the ACN community allows nurses to be the best they can be and strengthens the voice of nursing through various invaluable benefits, including 10% off graduate certificates.
Estimated fees are based on four units of study.
A student’s annual fee may vary per:
- The number of units studied.
- Choice of courses.
- Credit from previous study or work experience.
- Eligibility for government-funded loans.
Student fees shown are subject to change. Contact the university directly to confirm.
FEE-HELP loans are available to assist eligible full-fee-paying domestic students with the cost of a university course.
