Community Child Health (CCH) is an essential part of paediatrics, offering a unique opportunity to develop broad clinical, leadership and safeguarding skills. Whether or not you plan to subspecialise, early exposure to CCH will strengthen your confidence in managing children with complex needs, liaising with other agencies and seeing the child beyond their medical condition. 

CCH is offered as a subspecialty training programme. Your early training years are the perfect time to explore this path. 

Why gain experience in CCH during core training? 

Whether or not your career aim is to become a community paediatrician, gaining experience in CCH will help you to develop important skills in safeguarding and assessing development, behaviour and disability. During a placement in CCH, you can expect to: 

  • Learn how to write clear, impactful Child Protection Medical Reports 
  • Gain confidence in multi-agency working 
  • Build experience in long-term condition management and family-centred care 
  • Strengthen your CV for future sub-speciality applications or consultant roles with a CCH interest 
  • Develop as a reflective practitioner 

“I hadn’t realised how diverse community paediatrics was until my rotation – developmental clinics, child protection, school visits. It helped me think differently about what being a paediatrician can mean.” 

— ST3 Trainee, London 

How do I Become a Community Paediatrician?