Mothers of children at risk described engaging with home visitors in terms of limiting family vulnerability

摘要

Increasing evidence from quantitative studies suggests that home visiting programmes for vulnerable families can help to improve outcomes in young children.' Although this research is important for policy development, these studies provide less direction for practitioners about the processes that contribute to, or detract from, the success of the visiting experience. In addition, few studies have examined parents' perspectives of receiving home visiting services. The study by Jack et al is noteworthy because of the rigorous qualitative design, careful analysis, and detailed reporting of the findings. Participants were mothers of young children receiving services from one Canadian public health unit. However, the findings are relevant to community nurses in similar programmes who deliver and administer services and guide and supervise home visitors. The findings underscore the importance of home visitors engaging with mothers to build and strengthen their relationship during initial and ongoing visits. Although previous authors have advocated the importance of developing relationships, little empirical evidence exists as to what influences relationship work from the perspective of mothers. Understanding mothers' feelings of vulnerability and the processes they use to limit this vulnerability may help home visitors to reduce the high attrition rates and missed visits reported in many home visiting programmes. Developing and evaluating clinical approaches to reduce mothers' feelings of vulnerability have the potential to improve the services home visitors deliver to high risk families.