Standards set minimum expectations that must be met by any midwife in any setting or role. Standards guide the professional knowledge, skills and judgment needed to practise midwifery safely. Standards of practice are approved by the Council of the College.
In 2015, the College began an evaluation of all its existing standards, and in 2018 the Council of the College approved the new Professional Standards for Midwives, which came into effect on June 1, 2018. Click here for additional information on implementing the Professional Standards for Midwives.
College of Midwives of Ontario Standards of Practice:
The Professional Standards for Midwives (June 2018)
Normes Professionnelles des Sages-Femmes (juin 2018)
Interprofessional Care
Practice Management
Clinical Practice
Provincial and territorial midwifery regulators define the competencies expected of entry-level midwives in their own jurisdictions. Through the Canadian Midwifery Regulators Consortium (CMRC), midwifery regulators have identified competencies that are common across all jurisdictions, covering antepartum care, care during labour and birth, postpartum care of the woman, care of the newborn and young infant, breastfeeding, well woman care, education and counselling, and professional, interprofessional, and legal issues.
Click here to review the CMRC Competencies
Regulatory authorities further specify additional competencies that midwives with the necessary training and certification may perform in certain situations or practice settings. In some rural or remote communities for example, midwives work to an expanded scope and provide a broader range of services to meet the needs of the population. Definitions of additional competencies vary according to the regulatory framework in each province and territory.
All standards of practice rescinded on or after June 1, 2018, are archived here.
If you are looking for historic information on College standards, you can contact the College’s Professional Practice Advisor by phone: 416.640.2252 ext. 230 or by email: practiceadvice@cmo.on.ca
