CONI: role of the midwife training

This free training course is designed to help midwives understand and support the Care of Next Infant (CONI) programme, developed by The Lullaby Trust.

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Training overview

Midwives are often the first point of contact for families during pregnancy and are in a vital position to offer early information and reassurance to parents who have previously experienced the sudden and unexpected death of a baby. This free training course is designed to help midwives understand and support the Care of Next Infant (CONI) programme, developed by The Lullaby Trust. 

This course focuses on the important role midwives play in identifying and supporting eligible families, initiating referrals, and ensuring parents receive timely information about the CONI programme. It also covers the midwife’s role in working alongside health visitors and local CONI coordinators to ensure a smooth transition of care postnatally. 

The CONI programme offers emotional and practical support to bereaved families expecting another baby. It helps parents feel more confident in caring for their newborn and provides up-to-date guidance on reducing the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), along with advice on safer sleep. 

Cost per person: Free

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Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, participants will be able to: 

  • Understand the aims and structure of the CONI programme.
  • Share current safer sleep guidance with bereaved families in a sensitive and informed way.
  • Identify families eligible for CONI and understand how long support is available.
  • Explain the enrolment procedure and different referral routes into the programme.
  • Recognise the roles of the wider healthcare team involved in CONI.
  • Support bereaved parents with compassion and confidence throughout pregnancy and beyond.
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Course content

The course includes: 

  • Safer sleep guidance and SIDS risk reduction. 
  • Who is offered CONI support and for how long. 
  • What practical resources are available through CONI. 
  • The midwife’s role in initiating referrals and discussing the programme with families. 
  • The enrolment process and referral pathways. 
  • Overview of the CONI team, including health visitors and local coordinators. 
  • Communicating effectively and sensitively with bereaved families. 

4098

professionals trained in our safer sleep advice last year.

98 %

of professionals said they can apply our training to their daily work.

95 %

believe The Lullaby Trust's training is of a high quality.

  • Health professional holding leaflets, standing next to a cot next to a man and a lady.

    What professionals say about our training

    This course has been very informative and has provided the knowledge to underpin my practice.

  • A man holding a baby, sitting at a table opposite another person. There are mugs on the table.

    What professionals say about our training

    I enjoyed the fact that there were different types of videos and that made it engaging.

  • Illustration of a man on the phone. He has dark skin with a turban and a lilac top.

    What professionals say about our training

    Very good training overall and good that I can do this in my own time.

  • Illustration of a health professional wearing a lanyard. They have dark skin, flicking dark, short hair and a hearing aid,

    What professionals say about our training

    Very informative, good structure and useful links which will support my role moving forward.

    Frequently asked questions

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