With an estimated one born every minute, there’s always work to be done to assist in bringing about new life. 

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But while you might think you need a degree to take on that role, one mum is proving that’s not always the case.  

Mum-of-two Roma Norriss, 40, from Somerset has been working over 17 years as a parenting consultant despite quitting two degrees she started studying for and now she’s charging £290 an hour. 

A parenting consultant guides (usually new) parents through challenging times and helps to solve some of the most common problems.

This can include:

• Baby sleep coaching
• Potty training coaching
• Communication coaching
• Nutrition coaching

Roma’s training takes her practice a step further as she can assist with labour as a doula and breastfeeding right after birth.

Roma told The Sun: “As a parenting consultant, people come to me when they have challenges with a particular behaviour or an unhappy or distressed child.”

“I also run parenting courses and a personal mastery programme which focuses more on dissolving disruptive emotional patterns, such as codependency, addiction, anger issues, avoidance or holding oneself back.”

Most of the work Roma does can be done from the comfort of her own home. 

“I speak to them (families) weekly via Zoom and help them untangle the places where their own emotional issues are getting in the way of their parenting.”

The mum-of-two says she only works six hours a week at the moment but that still adds up to over £50,000 a year. 

She said: “I am only working six hours a week. I see clients on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

“If I were working full time doing what I currently do, I’d be earning £80-120k, but I have much more ambitious plans for the future.”

Roma has perfected her art so well that she can see what a family needs even after asking a few simple questions over the phone or on Zoom.

She said: “On a work day, I’ll see a few parents on Zoom or by phone, I’ll listen to them and probe for where their situation is rooted in emotional learning from their early life.” 

“I’ll have a clear sense of the steps that need to happen for things to change. I give my clients step-by-step guidance on what to implement next.”

Twice a uni-drop out

In her earlier years, Roma started not one but two degrees which she didn’t see through. 

She said: “I’m glad I didn’t do the Social Anthropology degree I was signed up for at 18.

“I actually started a successful arts flyer distribution business at 19 and what I learnt through that was far more useful.”

“I do regret not being able to finish my Midwifery degree.

“I loved everything about it; the tutors the assignments, the hospital placement. I suspect I would have been an excellent midwife.”

However, if Roma did stay on the path to midwifery she would have been more than 10k short on her current annual salary and she would have to work at least 30 more hours. 

Instead, it was the “university of life” that got Roma to where she is now.

“As it turned out I learnt most of what I needed through becoming a mother,” she said.

“Having a degree would actually make little difference to what I’ve ended up doing.”

Now Roma is one of the many believers that an education does not automatically guarantee a high salary, and you can earn a lot without one. 

She said: “I don’t have strong views about what education should look like. I appreciate the way academia trains your mind.” 

“But also my life has worked out well, I love what I do and I expect to be relatively successful.

“I am pretty much on a level with my peers who did go to university in terms of income and expertise.”

Roma has been through some tough patches in her life but each time she has gotten back up and that has made her an even better parenting consultant.

Now she earning a more than comfortable living doing something she loves. 

She said: “I think the greatest value I can offer other parents is that I’ve been through hard stuff myself and come out the other side so I can offer the conviction and trust in the process that they often lack.”

“My life experience has given me a certain ‘unf**kwithability.’”

How to become a parenting consultant

If you looking to get into parenting consulting you’ll need thick skin and an affordable qualification. 

Mainly Roma’s knowledge comes from her Hand in Hand training which she did through Hand in Hand Parenting.

The course costs £3,500 for the full nine months although you may be eligible for a scholarship if you are on a low income.

Roma explains: “In this kind of role it’s more about who you are rather than what you know, so all of this training required a lot of psychological work.”

Roma has also done breastfeeding counselling and doula training so she can support parents even before their child is born.

However, a lot of parenting consultants or coaches choose to specialise in one area as a niche. These areas include:

• Baby sleep coaching
• Breastfeeding coaching
• Potty training coaching
• Birth coaching 
• Communication coaching
• Relationship coaching for parents
• Divorce coaching
• Grief coaching 
• ADHD coaching 
• Stress coaching
• Happiness coaching 
• Nutrition coaching
• Spiritual coaching
• Coaching for foster parents 
• Coaching for kinship parents
• Co-parenting coaching

Setting your hours and finding clients:

Most parenting coaches choose to price their services in one of three ways: per session, per month and per package.

Roma for example charges £290 for a one-hour session.

You’ll want to set your hours accordingly to make sure you can meet each client’s demands.

Roma says a lot of her clients found her through word of mouth, however, she does have a website and Instagram page detailing her services.

Find out what are the 15 most popular jobs where you could earn up to £70,000 without a degree.