Healthy Beginnings Specialist Coach (Pregnancy and Early Parenthood)NHS
Job summary
Commissioned by Gloucestershire County Council, the Gloucestershire Healthy Lifestyle Service provides evidence-based support to help residents stop smoking, achieve a healthy weight, become more active, reduce alcohol consumption, and improve wellbeing. Alongside these core services, the Healthy Beginnings programme provides specialist support for families during pregnancy and early parenthood.
Healthy Beginnings is a specialist public health programme supporting families from pregnancy until a child's second birthday. The programme recognises that pregnancy and the first two years of life provide a unique opportunity to improve lifelong health outcomes for both parents and children. Through evidence-based health coaching and behaviour change support, Healthy Beginnings empowers families to make informed, sustainable lifestyle choices.
Main duties of the job
The successful candidate will deliver the Healthy Beginnings programme through one-to-one, group and digital support, providing specialist coaching around smoking cessation, healthy weight, nutrition, physical activity and postnatal wellbeing. The role will involve using motivational interviewing, health coaching and SMART goal setting to support families to make sustainable lifestyle changes, while developing personalised support plans and monitoring outcomes. The postholder will build strong relationships with families, identify and appropriately escalate safeguarding concerns, and work closely with maternity services, Family Hubs, health visitors, primary care and community partners to promote referrals and improve outcomes. Responsibilities will also include maintaining accurate records, contributing to audits and service improvement, representing ABL Health at community events, and working flexibly across Gloucestershire, including occasional evenings and weekends.
Job description
Healthy Beginnings delivers three core areas of support: Smoking cessation support for pregnant people, their partners and families, and households with children under two years of age. Healthy weight maintenance support during pregnancy through personalised nutrition advice, healthy eating education and physical activity sessions. A holistic package of postnatal support to help families make healthy lifestyle choices, including infant feeding, introducing solid foods, oral health, healthy eating, physical activity and reducing social isolation through connection. Running throughout every aspect of the programme is a commitment to reducing health inequalities and giving every child the healthiest beginning possible. Working alongside maternity services, Family Hubs, health visitors, primary care and community organisations, the programme ensures support is accessible, inclusive and tailored to the needs of local families.
Role purpose:
As a Healthy Beginnings Specialist Coach you will deliver specialist health coaching across the three core Healthy Beginnings pathways: smoking cessation, healthy weight in pregnancy and healthy postnatal living. Using evidence-based behaviour change techniques, you will empower families to make sustainable lifestyle changes that improve maternal, infant and family health outcomes while helping to reduce health inequalities.
Key Responsibilities:
Service Delivery
Deliver the Healthy Beginnings programme through one-to-one appointments, group sessions and digital platforms.
Provide specialist coaching across the Healthy Beginnings pathways, including smoking cessation support for pregnant people, their partners and families, and households with children under two.
Deliver healthy weight maintenance support during pregnancy through nutrition education, healthy eating advice and physical activity sessions.
Provide postnatal healthy lifestyle support, including infant feeding, introducing solid foods, oral health, healthy eating, physical activity and reducing social isolation.
Use motivational interviewing, health coaching, positive psychology and SMART goal setting to support sustainable behaviour change.
Develop personalised support plans and review progress using agreed outcome measures.
Client Care
Build trusting, compassionate relationships with families.
Provide person-centred, strengths-based support.
Recognise safeguarding concerns and act in accordance with local procedures.
Partnership Working
Work collaboratively with maternity services, Family Hubs, health visitors, primary care and community partners.
Promote Healthy Beginnings and maximise appropriate referrals.
Represent ABL Health at stakeholder meetings and community events.
Quality & Service Improvement
Maintain accurate records and confidential information.
Contribute to audit, evaluation, contract reporting and continuous improvement.
Support co-production with families and stakeholders to shape future service development.
Professional Responsibilities
Maintain professional standards and mandatory training.
Manage workload effectively and work flexibly across Gloucestershire.
Act as a positive ambassador for ABL Health.
Operational Requirements
Able to travel independently across the county as required (drivers licence and access to own vehicle)
Flexibility for evening and occasional weekend work
Please note that we are unable to offer sponsorship for this role
About us
ABL Health Ltd is a dynamic, fast-growing community health organisation with an ambitious vision to create healthier lives and stronger communities. As an experienced, CQC-registered provider of community health and wellbeing services, we are proud to deliver evidence-based, innovative and person-centred care that makes a real and lasting difference.
We work in partnership with individuals, communities and system partners to design and deliver services that are locally rooted, strengths-based and responsive to need. Everything we do is driven by a commitment to reducing health inequalities, improving outcomes and ensuring people have access to the right support at the right time.