Supporting High-Risk Families Through a Pregnancy Family Conferencing Model: Experiences of Professionals

Abstract

ABSTRACT Effective child protection responses in the perinatal period can reduce the need for long-term service intervention. A Pregnancy Family Conferencing (PFC) initiative was established in one Local Health District in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, by child protection and health services to facilitate strengths-focused planning with families identified as high risk. This qualitative study explores the experiences of professionals engaged with PFC. Findings highlight the importance of hope, building trust in difficult circumstances, and ensuring transparency, with benefits for interagency partnerships and finding meaning in the work. Findings have implications for services seeking to support families engaged with statutory child protection services during the perinatal period. IMPLICATIONS PFC provides an alternative model for child protection and health systems, promoting collaborative decision making through a strengths-based framework to benefit families and children. The findings show that PFC participation also can benefit professionals through the formation of trusting interagency and interdisciplinary collegial relationships, and working effectively with families to reduce risks.