Family support by lay workers: a health visiting initiative

Abstract

There has been considerable research on the effectiveness of intensive professional home visiting schemes in improving parenting; lay visiting schemes, however, although often popular with clients, are under-researched. This article focuses on a lay visiting scheme set up and supported by health visitors in a deprived inner city area of Sheffield between 1998 and 2000. Although this scheme was designed to run for 2 years, an interim evaluation has taken place to track its effectiveness. This mainly qualitative evaluation has not only shown benefits to clients but also identified a number of issues for safe practice. The scheme has now been awarded core funding. It illuminates the kind of relationships that can develop between lay workers and clients, and enables a discussion of the benefits of this project and the challenge such schemes can present to both policy and practice.

Evaluation of trained volunteer doula services for disadvantaged women in five areas in England: women's experiences

“…Understanding how women viewed their volunteers offered insights into how support 'worked', from a theoretical perspective (Pawson & Tilley 1997). Women frequently likened the volunteer to a family member or friend, consistent with the literature on volunteers and lay workers in the context of childbearing (Taggart et al 2000, Perkins & Macfarlane 2001, Meier et al 2007, Hazard et al 2009, Gentry et al 2010. Friendship was a central theme here and we note the overlaps between the current volunteer role and other community-based support programmes, such as those that use volunteer befrienders for women who may find it difficult to access or engage with services (Coe & Barlow 2013).…”

“…These findings highlight the challenges noted elsewhere in the volunteer and lay worker literature around ways of working that hinge on a close relationship between worker and recipient and the need to consider further the management of emotional relationships and boundaries (Perkins & Macfarlane 2001, Heslop 2006, Mitchell & Pistrang 2011, Glenton et al 2013, Gillard et al 2014, Simpson et al 2014). These challenges are not limited to relationships with volunteer and lay workers.…”

“…Women frequently likened the volunteer to a family member or friend, consistent with the literature on volunteers and lay workers in the context of childbearing (Taggart et al . , Perkins & Macfarlane , Meier et al . , Hazard et al .…”

Barriers and facilitators to the implementation of lay health worker programmes to improve access to maternal and child health: qualitative evidence synthesis

“…In approximately 13 studies, from Australia (Downie 2004), Canada (Heaman 2006;, UK (Murphy 2008;Perkins 2001;Smith 2007), USA (Sheppard 2004;Warrick 1992), Brazil (Wayland 2002), Mexico (Ramirez-Valles 2003), India (Alcock 2009), Papua New Guinea (Ashwell 2009) and Viet Nam (Hendrickson 2002), LHWs carried out a package of tasks that were primarily promotional, and mainly involved information and advice about topics such as family planning, pregnancy and childbirth, breastfeeding, vaccinations and other aspects of newborn and child health care.…”

“…Programme recipients in both high, middle and low income countries were generally very positive to the LHW programmes (Chinbuah 2006;Dynes 2011;George 2009;Haq 2009;Hazard 2009;Heaman 2006;Islam 2001;Javanparast 2009;Kaler 2001;Korfmacher 2002;Mathews 1994;Meier 2007;Murphy 2008;Nankunda 2006;Perkins 2001;Rashid 2001;Sheppard 2004;Siu 2009;Smith 2007;Taggart 2000;Warrick 1992;. Central to programme acceptability were aspects tied to the closeness of the LHW-recipient relationship and the communitybased nature of the programmes.…”