Introducing the programme and establishing trust is a delicate process requiring skill, sensitivity and persistence. The personal qualities, enthusiasm and commitment of volunteers and programme staff are crucial. Pregnant women, expectant fathers and partners should be invited to access support with no obligation – it is a partnership of equals and the quality of the relationships between parents, volunteers and staff are the foundations of a successful ongoing support process.
Pregnant women, many of whom are coping with complex and stressful situations, should feel respected as experts on their own needs. A reassuring, supportive and non-judgemental approach by the coordinator and volunteer aims to build parents’ confidence and encourage them to find their own way forward.
Fathers and partners need to feel included, whether living with the pregnant woman or apart.
Introduce 'paperwork' to expectant parents flexibly and informally
The formality of introducing ‘programme paperwork’ during initial home visits, at a crucial time when relationships are being established, is a sensitive issue. You could alienate the most vulnerable and marginalised pregnant women who you are particularly trying to reach out to. There is a potential to create suspicion and distrust, particularly for women who are wary of official documentation, so the discretion and skills of programme staff are very important.
Ensure flexibility in the frequency of initital peer support visits
Initial visits should be weekly or two-weekly in order to establish a relationship, with flexibility for more vulnerable women depending on individual need. The key consideration once a relationship has been established is to avoid the pregnant woman becoming dependent on the volunteer. Skilled, reflective supervision by experienced staff is important. It will nurture the confidence of volunteers to avoid a temptation to jump in to try to ‘fix things’ rather than gradually nurturing self-esteem and giving women sufficient ‘space’ to achieve self-selected goals between support visits.
Read more in our Manual Guide: Enabling expectant parents to access support which is downloadable below:
Manual Guide: Enabling expectant parents to access support
Added 24/02/2020Please sign in to download this file.