Claire Verity accused of deceiving viewers over title "Maternity Nurse"

[morningpaper]

About time - the Nursing and Midwifery Council are objecting to the use of the title "Maternity Nurse":

TV nanny accused of deceiving viewers - Daily Telegraph

"A television nanny whose hardline techniques have provoked fury among mothers was accused last night of misleading the public about her qualifications.

Claire Verity, 41, who appeared on Channel 4's Bringing up Baby, is described on the broadcaster's website as "a maternity nurse with 24 years' experience and a string of nannying qualifications".

But the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), which keeps a register of 7,000 nurses and midwives in the UK, said the nanny's title was not one it recognised."

She is live on Five Live at the moment. Says she is a "Maternity Consultant" and not a Maternity Nurse - apologised for using the term.

She said "I'm not a mother yet, no" - poor love. Makes me depressed when they talk like that.

Posted this on LL's thread - isn't "nursery nurse" (as in NNEB or current equivalent") the usual qualification/title in the UK?

she is something- ill give her that, but wont say what it is for fear of getting mnet into trouble. I shall just bite my tongue.

Maternity nurse is a term I'm very familiar with. I didn't have one but plenty of my friends had them for the first month. Often a granny settles the bill.

I think the 'nurse' bit harps back to the time when children had 'nurses'; it's almost another term for nanny.

she's only 41
Finally got round to watching part 2 last night - it was among the most horrific things I've ever seen. Those poor little babies

Abigail Flanagan?s piece is good too mother of all rows

I don't know what qualifications if any that Claire Verity has to support her 'title'

I worked as a Maternity Nurse for in excess of 10 years.

I am a Registered Midwife and General Nurse.

I'm also a mother.

For those who can afford and who choose to use a Maternity Nurse it can be a great relationship, I returned to many clients to help care for siblings.

I was proud of the work I did, the help and advice I gave to mums.

In the same way that many Nannies didn't have qualifications (some still don't) neither did some Maternity Nurses. Qualifications on their own do not make a good Nanny/Maternity Nurse and I have met many without qualifications who excelled in their position.

There is training available for Maternity Nurses, albeit not recognised by the NMC.

How good it is, I do not know.

Please don't think that the 'gurus' are representative of all Maternity Nurses.

The Verity on Five Live on listen again here

I've just watched it and I think she was trying to backpedal somewhat. She leapt in with the bit about not being a "maternity nurse" but a "maternity consultant".

Then she said that she had "loads" of qualifications but declined to name a single one and, instead, cited her years of experience.

She denied telling any parents not to cuddle or kiss their child - shortly after a sound clip from the prog showed her doing exactly that.

She later said that the Truby King method was very old fashioned and that what she normally does is more modern. Victoria Derbyshire asked her if she was as "harsh" normally and she said "No" in a way that seemed meant to mean "of course not" (which begs a whole load of questions for me!). At this point, Daisy Goodwin chipped in, obviously scenting a buck being passed and made Claire Verity concede that they had not made her do anything she wouldn't do anyway.

She also claimed that she gave parents a choice about sleeping - and even suggested that co-sleeping would be an option. This is the person, who in the clip played at the top of the programme, is heard saying "I've brought a copy of my rules"!

I was also really annoyed that no distinction was made between the principle of "having a routine" which I am in favour of and the Truby King/Claire Verity type of routine in practice which I abhor.

With any luck, this furore will contribute to this awful method being completely discredited.

Um, that should be "listened to it"