Records of the Teachers Executive Committee of the Royal College of Midwives

This collection comprises minutes, correspondence and reports of the Teachers Executive Committee (previously the Approved Teachers of Practice Midwifery Committee and often referred to as simply the Teachers Committee) of the Royal College of Midwives (formally known as the Midwives Institute) (1916-1949), relating to the education of pupil midwives and the training of midwife teachers, with particular references to lecture fees, course syllabus, textbooks and examinations, the rules and regulations of the Central Midwives Board, training schools, the supervision and responsibilities of student midwives, the teaching of birth control, working conditions in hospitals and the future of midwifery profession.

The Approved Teachers of Practical Midwifery Committee of the Royal College of Midwives (formally known as the Midwives Institute) was established on 11 February 1916 in order to 'watch over the interests of the trainers of midwives with regards to the local supervising authority and the Central Midwives Board, to furnish opportunities for these trainers and to deliberate on all matters concerning the training of pupils as well as the question of fees for extended training'.

At first, meetings took place on a monthly basis, while general or sub-committee meetings were called when required, to discuss and then make recommendations to the Council on matters, such as examinations and course syllabus.

It was decided on the 29 June 1923 that the Approved Teachers Committee should also oversee the activities of regional associations of midwifery teachers, in order to raise standards of teaching, to safeguard the interests of teachers and widen channels of communication.

From 1933 onwards, the Executive Teachers Committee, as it became known, was called quarterly or as necessary, and was increasingly involved in the organisation of lectures, conferences and intensive courses for midwife teachers that were held at the headquarters of the College.

The Royal College of Midwives continues to arrange training and professional courses for midwife teachers, with a view to promote clinical excellence and develop the midwifery leaders of tomorrow.

The original order of material is retained, although where this is not possible the arrangement of files has been based on the functions and activities of the organisation as well as chronology, subject and the needs of users.

Permission is required for external access to records less than twenty years old. Also restrictions apply if material includes personal information of living individuals. All other records are open to research by appointment, Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm. For further information about accessing the collection and visiting the reading room, please contact: archives@rcog.co.uk

There is no record of the source or date of acquisition before this material was deposited under the terms of a collection care agreement at the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in May 2011.

Catalogued by Clare Sexton, Project Archivist in accordance with ISAD(G).

Further details of the contents of this collection are available on request.

Copyright belongs to the Royal College of Midwives. To reproduce this material, please apply via the College Archivist: archives@rcog.co.uk

This collection was previously held at the Royal College of Midwives.