Osteopathic Centre for Children Certificate in Paediatric Osteopathy

The OCC’s innovative educational pathway is designed to enable osteopaths to nurture, develop and enhance their specialist skills in paediatrics. Founded on our well-respected Diploma in Paediatric Osteopathy, this pathway includes two stand-alone 1-year courses which can be used to either start your journey in paediatrics or to build upon a journey that has already begun.

The pathway is designed with the flexibility to enable a postgraduate osteopath to structure their own learning journey; either following the courses sequentially and achieving a DPO in 2 years or completing them over a longer period of time.

The OCC Certificate in Paediatric Osteopathy (CPO)

With this one-year course, osteopaths have the opportunity to spend a year developing their obstetric and paediatric clinical skills in the OCC clinic working collaboratively as part of the team. In addition to ongoing coaching and mentoring, there will be weekly tutorials and seminar weekends dedicated to developing osteopathic skills and treatment of the new-born up to the age of two. The course will include common presentations such as maternal & neonatal postural adaptations, mechanical assisted birth interventions & strains, plagiocephaly, maternal mental health & bonding, feeding issues, sleep, an appreciation of the developmental milestones and an introduction to the unwell child.

The CPO is designed to introduce the osteopath to concepts within paediatric osteopathy which underpin clinical work with the main focus being on common presentations within the 0–2 year age groups. The course will nurture an interest in paediatrics beyond the age ranges taught and, although the focus will be to consider the under 2s, within the clinic the osteopaths would be exposed to all patients, including older children, teenagers, pregnant women and postpartum mums.

The CPO will include:

45 days in clinic (weekly attendance) caring for a range of paediatric patients, managing a personal patients’ list and working alongside skilled and experienced specialists.
Weekly tutorials including facilitated discussions and feedback focussed on your clinical cases.
Two seminar weekends (or 4 weekend dates): the first as an introductory weekend, prior to attendance in the clinic and the second approximately 2/3 of the way through the course to pick up on some of the more complex subjects.
The course includes assessments which are designed to give each osteopath individualised feedback to help progress their pathway in paediatrics. These include 2 Case Studies, 1 Written Exam Paper, Clinical Appraisals, Skills Log, Peer Observation with Feedback, Anatomy Reviews and a Final Clinical ‘Observation Day’.

Prerequisite Certificate Level:

Half day observation in one of the OCC clinics. You may choose where your observation may be spent. However, we are unable to guarantee the clinic in which you may be offered a place.
Undergraduate qualification in Osteopathy (UK and equivalent non-UK qualifications).
OCC Access Course in Osteopathy in the Cranial Field or equivalent SCTF accredited course.

New intake: 2025 (detailks TBC)

Fees: TBC

An instalment payment plan is available and can be considered for osteopaths who wish to pay their fees in instalments.

How to apply

For more details please contact us on 0208 875 5291 or email educationregistrar@occ.uk.com.

Deadline for the CPO 2025 Applications: TBC

The OCC Diploma in Paediatric Osteopathy (DPO)

For those keen to further deepen their paediatric knowledge, skills, and application, this one-year course will build on the foundations established in the first year and take osteopaths to Diploma in Paediatric Osteopathy (DPO) Level.