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Working in partnership: user perceptions of intensive home visiting
Author(s) -
Kirkpatrick Sue,
Barlow Jane,
StewartBrown Sarah,
Davis Hilton
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
child abuse review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.569
H-Index - 41
eISSN - 1099-0852
pISSN - 0952-9136
DOI - 10.1002/car.972
Subject(s) - general partnership , perception , mental health , nursing , psychology , work (physics) , health professionals , service provider , service (business) , medicine , medical education , health care , psychiatry , business , political science , mechanical engineering , finance , marketing , neuroscience , engineering , law
The aim of this study was to explore the perceptions of vulnerable women about the value of intensive home visiting in pregnancy and the first year of life delivered by health visitors trained to work in partnership with families. Twenty in‐depth interviews were conducted with women who had completed the home visiting programme and agreed to be interviewed. The data were fully transcribed and analysed thematically. Despite initial concerns and negative preconceptions about health and social service professionals, participating women greatly valued the relationships that were established with their home visitors and identified a number of ways in which they had benefited. These included increased confidence, improved mental health, better parenting, improved relationships and changes in their attitudes toward professionals. These findings demonstrate the potential of intensive home visiting delivered in partnership with mothers in reaching and helping vulnerable and ‘hard‐to‐reach’ families. They highlight the importance of establishing a trusting relationship between helper and provider, and the need for home visitors to have the necessary skills and qualities to establish such relationships. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.