Madeline Milton

• Holding the safeguarding caseload for the region, including high-risk and vulnerable women (e.g., those affected by domestic abuse, substance misuse, mental health issues, and exploitation and young parents)
• Attending and contributing to multi-agency Strategy, Child in Need, Child Protection, and Looked After Children meetings
• Attending Multi-Disciplinary Team meetings
• Writing court statements and safeguarding reports to a high professional standard, often for public law proceedings
• Liaising and coordinating with social services, substance misuse team, women aid, police, mental health teams and legal professionals
• Providing support, guidance, education and safeguarding supervision to other midwives and healthcare professionals
• Ensuring robust documentation, risk assessments, and care planning in accordance with statutory guidelines
• 
  

• Conducting antenatal appointments to assess maternal and fetal health, provide screening, and offer guidance on pregnancy and birth planning.
• Supporting home births where appropriate, assessing suitability, attending deliveries, and managing care before, during, and after birth.
• Providing postnatal care, including newborn assessments, feeding support (breast and bottle), maternal physical and emotional wellbeing checks, and contraception advice.
• Identifying and managing deviations from the normal, referring to or liaising with obstetricians, health visitors, safeguarding teams, and other relevant professionals as needed.
• Maintaining accurate documentation and participating in clinical audits to ensure quality of care.
• Promoting public health initiatives including smoking cessation, mental health awareness, and healthy lifestyle education.

As a rotational midwife, I gained comprehensive experience across all areas of intrapartum and postnatal care by working within a midwife-led birth centre, a high-risk delivery suite, and a 42-bedded postnatal ward. This role involved:

• Midwife-Led Birth Centre: Providing autonomous, woman-centred care for low-risk pregnancies, promoting physiological labour and birth, supporting birth plans, and facilitating water births and active birth practices in a calm, home-like environment.
• High-Risk Delivery Suite: Collaborating closely with obstetric, anaesthetic, and neonatal teams to provide care for women with complex pregnancies or obstetric complications. Responsibilities included continuous fetal monitoring, emergency care during obstetric emergencies (e.g., PPH, shoulder dystocia), and preparation for operative deliveries.
• Postnatal Ward: Delivering comprehensive postnatal care for women following both uncomplicated and complex births, including post-operative care (e.g., post-CS), breastfeeding support, neonatal assessments (NIPE), discharge planning, and emotional wellbeing checks.

As a live-in au pair, I provided full-time care for three young girls aged 1, 2, and 4, supporting their daily routines, development, and wellbeing in a busy household. My role required a high level of responsibility, energy, and adaptability, particularly in caring for the middle child, who is deaf and uses cochlear implants.

Key Responsibilities:

• Delivered nurturing, age-appropriate care across a range of developmental stages (infant to preschool).
• Planned and led engaging activities to support cognitive, emotional, and physical development, including sensory play, storytelling, arts and crafts, and outdoor exploration.
• Managed daily routines such as dressing, meals, naps, bathing, and bedtime with consistency and structure.
• Assisted with speech and language development (including American Sign Language) through interactive play and repetition, especially supporting the 2-year-old’s use of cochlear implants.
• Learned and applied communication strategies tailored to a deaf child, including visual cues and simplified sign language as needed.
• Maintained and helped manage cochlear implant care (e.g., checking equipment, ensuring proper use during active play).
• Prepared healthy meals and snacks and supported safe eating habits.
• Took initiative in light household tasks related to the children (tidying, laundry, organising play areas).
• Collaborated closely with parents to ensure a safe, consistent, and nurturing environment.

This experience strengthened my ability to multitask, remain calm under pressure, and support children with additional needs in a compassionate and inclusive way.