Baby Steps: Supporting parents from minority ethnic backgrounds in the perinatal period

Abstract

Mothers from minority ethnic groups are at increased risk of poor mental and physical health outcomes across the perinatal period, and often fail to access existing antenatal support services. There is currently a lack of research about how such families can be supported. The NSPCC has developed and evaluated a group-based perinatal education programme which was designed to meet the needs of a range of disadvantaged parents, including some from minority ethnic backgrounds. In-depth face-to-face interviews were carried out with a sample of 14 minority ethnic parents who had completed the programme. Positive outcomes reported by parents included: increased knowledge about pregnancy and parenting; improved relationships with partners and infants; and, for some, changes in attitudes towards gender roles, corporal punishment and female genital mutilation. The programme was a particularly important source of information and support for parents who were socially isolated. Factors that engaged this group of parents in the programme included: the use of interpreters; cultural competence among practitioners; and practitioners working flexibly by offering additional support and making themselves available to liaise with other agencies on behalf of the parents.