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A buddy near the crib

A previous research from the Artevelde University College Ghent revealed that the majority of deprived pregnant women have difficulties with finding access to pre-, peri- and postnatal care within the Flemish context. As proven in literature, this high barrier leads to a poorer pregnancy outcome. A lack of a participative relationship seemed to be at the core of this problem. A new paradigm in healthcare is necessary.

The key to breaking down the barriers to antenatal care and to augment the self-efficacy of these women is to create an alternative assistance.

The project "a buddy near the crib: perinatal coaching for underprivileged families", applies a system of coaching for the first time. Students Bachelor in Midwifery take the role of ‘buddy’ to an underprivileged family during pregnancy, birth and early childhood. The project aim responds both to the needs of pregnant families and to the students involved.

Disadvantaged pregnant women have benefit from basic support and have the opportunity to participate in the organization of care. Secondly, midwifery students on their part should develop specific competencies to work with disadvantaged people. They must be trained in applying different thinking patterns specific for the poor.

In the project, fifteen midwifery students, matched to a family through contact at the prenatal consultation, guide a family during a period of eighteen months. Through weekly contact they offer basic support, empowerment and lead the family to health and social care. They discuss issues such as prenatal attachment and birth premium. They accompany the mother when necessary, to health and social care workers. They also go shopping with the mother and even cook together in order to share alternative ways of dealing with daily life and work.

A member of the professional team performs an intake interview in order to match the family’s expectancy with the reality of the buddy’s possibilities and limits. A standardized closing interview evaluating the family’s appreciation and progress towards health care is planned.

The team members, a midwife, a social worker and a health researcher, supports the students through a peer review every two weeks. The students and professionals communicate on a digital platform and report about each contact using a standardized form. The data are analyzed using quantitative research methods.. Furthermore, issues discussed during the meetings with peers and practical information discovered by the students ‘on the way’ are collected in a mindmap. This mindmap was intended to create a blueprint for buddy’s with frequently asked questions and the answers. This expertise can be consulted by the buddies at anytime. Also the emotional impact of being a buddy needed special attention from the professional supervisors. Sharing their experiences help the buddies to deal with difficulties such as priority issues, drop-out and frustration about unchangeable situations.

To conclude, this project resulted in a ‘buddy model’. The model should lead to a large deployment for various professional and charity organizations as well as student groups. The students, specifically trained in the care of disadvantaged people, will convey their skills and act as multipliers in the field to those organizations.

The intergenerational transfer of child poverty is thus interrupted at the beginning of life, often a decisive turning point.