FNF’s recently published policy briefing ‘Strengthening the Clinical Educator Workforce’, has sparked a national dialogue on how to better support this essential, but often overlooked, workforce. At the Paediatric Clinical Network’s[i] annual educator’s meeting, educators from around the UK convened to discuss what the briefing could tell us about how to improve clinical education to transform child health outcomes. This blog, written by Raluca Oaten, Research and Policy Fellow at Florence Nightingale Foundation and Louise Cullen, Educator for the Paediatric Critical Care & Surgery in Children Clinical Networks across the North East and North Cumbria, captures key reflections from that session.
The briefing’s findings strongly resonated with the paediatric educator leaders in attendance. Its emphasis on the need for protected time, evidence-based impact, and defined career pathways aligned closely with the persistent challenges faced by this workforce – frequently undervalued, under-resourced and with limited senior leadership visibility of their role in shaping and sustaining the wider workforce. For many, the formal documentation of these issues was both affirming and timely.
"I first read the policy briefing whilst writing our own Paediatric Clinical Network Nursing Education Strategy. The document gave weight and credence to the recommendations we were proposing in our strategy by putting a huge emphasis on the significance of Clinical Educators and the vital role they play across so many aspects of paediatric nursing. From ensuing best practice in clinical skills, strengthening recruitment and retention by recognising the importance of continuing education for the staff within our nursing teams, and reducing clinical risk our Paediatric Clinical Educators should be valued, validated and celebrated."
Louise Cullen, Educator, Paediatric Critical Care & Surgery in Children Clinical Network
Importantly, workshop discussions delved into how clinical educators can leverage their influence to spark meaningful change. By shifting the dialogue from personal experience to policy-relevant evidence, education leaders were challenged to think innovatively about ways in which clinical education can be positioned as a core infrastructure priority rather than a discretionary activity. Influence was framed as more than just a leadership trait- it was positioned as a set of deliberate strategies. These included using data, evidence, and advocacy to demonstrate the value of paediatric education and gain increased recognition and investment at organisational and system levels.
The discussions also highlighted that influence is not merely about persuading others but about creating alliances that can elevate paediatrics to a recognised population health priority. When paediatrics is viewed in isolation or misunderstood as a narrow specialty, it risks obscuring the level of support needed to deliver the broad and comprehensive education required across the full spectrum of child development. Reframing this narrative is critical: paediatric care encompasses diverse conditions and age groups, requiring a highly adaptable and skilled workforce. Recognising this complexity is essential to ensuring that paediatric educators are equipped, empowered, and positioned to meet the evolving needs of the children, families, and services they support.
“It has empowered us as a group to continue to be a collective and positive voice for Paediatric Clinical Education for nursing teams and our wider multiprofessional teams and allied healthcare professional colleagues ensuring we keep children, young people and their families at the centre of all that we do.”
Louise Cullen, Educator, Paediatric Critical Care & Surgery in Children Clinical Network
These priorities highlight the need for policy and organisational action that reflects the unique scope and value of paediatric education.
The Strengthening the Clinical Educator Workforce briefing has generated significant momentum by both highlighting persistent challenges and creating opportunities for fresh approaches across clinical settings. The enthusiastic response from paediatric education leaders reflects a broader desire to redefine how clinical education fits within the health and care system. This increasing involvement represents the start of ongoing work that will use clinical educators’ expertise to shape future policy and enhance education’s role throughout the health and care system.
As we await the next iteration of the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan for England, we hope to see education given a more prominent position within it. As the discussions have confirmed, planned workforce reforms cannot succeed without prioritising educator roles—these professionals are essential to building the skilled health and care workforce the NHS needs for the future.
Watch this space for our reactions to the plan and do let us know what you think by emailing [email protected]
About the Authors
Raluca Oaten
Raluca is a Research and Policy Fellow at Florence Nightingale Foundation, a critical care nurse with previous experience as a Clinical Educator. Raluca is also an assistant editor for Nurse Education Today and a trustee for the Council of Deans of Health. More on Raluca’s bio HERE.
Louise Cullen
Louise is the Educator for the Paediatric Critical Care & Surgery in Children Clinical Networks across the North East and North Cumbria.
Louise’s nursing background is in Paediatric Emergency Care and General Paediatrics, and she has been a qualified Children’s Nurse for nearly 23 years. The majority Louises’s career has been within secondary care District General Hospitals (DGH) with many happy years working as a Sister across all areas of paediatric inpatient, ambulatory care and Paediatric Emergency Departments. Louise joined the Paediatric Clinical Networks team in July 2022.
Louise’s area of clinical interest is the care, recognition and stabilisation of the seriously ill or injured child within the context of DGH secondary care and following this interest she has led on training and educational programmes within the departments she worked but also instructs within multidisciplinary faculties on APLS and PILS courses across the North East & North Cumbria region. She also has an interest in Human Factors and promoting staff well-being.
Louise completed the Florence Nightingale Foundation Children & Young Peoples Leadership Programme in September 2024, and her QI project titled ‘Introduction of High-flow Nasal Cannula Oxygen therapy into a District General Paediatric Emergency Department’ was selected for presentation at the Celebration Event.
[i] The Paediatric Clinical Networks operate as an interface between commissioner and provider organisations to: Reduce variation in care; Address inequity of care; Improve quality and outcomes for children and young people. The aim of the Paediatric Clinical Networks is to enable high quality care to be delivered as close to home as possible and to facilitate system working.
(Raluca Oaten is pictured on the left and Louise Cullen on the right)
Published 2 July 2025
