The processes of implementing and sustaining an intensive volunteer one-to-one support (doula) service for disadvantaged pregnant women

'Doulas' (lay women who are trained to support other women during pregnancy, birth and postnatally) can improve outcomes for disadvantaged mothers and babies. This Realist Evaluation study uses qualitative interviews to explore the views of staff, commissioners and local champions about th...

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Main Authors: McLeish, Jenny, Spiby, Helen, Darwin, Zoe, Wilmot, Helen, Green, Josephine
Format: Article
Published: Policy Press 2016
Subjects:
Online Access:https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/34389/
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author McLeish, Jenny
Spiby, Helen
Darwin, Zoe
Wilmot, Helen
Green, Josephine
author_facet McLeish, Jenny
Spiby, Helen
Darwin, Zoe
Wilmot, Helen
Green, Josephine
author_sort McLeish, Jenny
building Nottingham Research Data Repository
collection Online Access
description 'Doulas' (lay women who are trained to support other women during pregnancy, birth and postnatally) can improve outcomes for disadvantaged mothers and babies. This Realist Evaluation study uses qualitative interviews to explore the views of staff, commissioners and local champions about the processes of establishing and sustaining five volunteer doula support projects in England. The six key factors in their successful implementation are: fitting with local commissioning priorities; staff commitment and skills; networking with other agencies; defining and marketing the role; providing strong support for volunteers; and having some costs absorbed by others. The four key factors in sustaining the projects are: finding ways to balance the numbers of referrals and volunteers; shaping the service to local service drivers; constant networking; and creative responses to funding shortages. It is a constant challenge to balance the rate of referrals and the number of trained volunteers within tight budgets and timescales ...
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spelling nottingham-343892020-05-04T17:57:26Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/34389/ The processes of implementing and sustaining an intensive volunteer one-to-one support (doula) service for disadvantaged pregnant women McLeish, Jenny Spiby, Helen Darwin, Zoe Wilmot, Helen Green, Josephine 'Doulas' (lay women who are trained to support other women during pregnancy, birth and postnatally) can improve outcomes for disadvantaged mothers and babies. This Realist Evaluation study uses qualitative interviews to explore the views of staff, commissioners and local champions about the processes of establishing and sustaining five volunteer doula support projects in England. The six key factors in their successful implementation are: fitting with local commissioning priorities; staff commitment and skills; networking with other agencies; defining and marketing the role; providing strong support for volunteers; and having some costs absorbed by others. The four key factors in sustaining the projects are: finding ways to balance the numbers of referrals and volunteers; shaping the service to local service drivers; constant networking; and creative responses to funding shortages. It is a constant challenge to balance the rate of referrals and the number of trained volunteers within tight budgets and timescales ... Policy Press 2016-06-07 Article PeerReviewed McLeish, Jenny, Spiby, Helen, Darwin, Zoe, Wilmot, Helen and Green, Josephine (2016) The processes of implementing and sustaining an intensive volunteer one-to-one support (doula) service for disadvantaged pregnant women. Voluntary Sector Review . ISSN 2040-8064 Doula Facilitator Process Volunteer http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/tpp/vsr/pre-prints/content-Pp_VSR-D-15-00008R2 doi:10.1332/204080516X14650415652465 doi:10.1332/204080516X14650415652465
spellingShingle Doula
Facilitator
Process
Volunteer
McLeish, Jenny
Spiby, Helen
Darwin, Zoe
Wilmot, Helen
Green, Josephine
The processes of implementing and sustaining an intensive volunteer one-to-one support (doula) service for disadvantaged pregnant women
title The processes of implementing and sustaining an intensive volunteer one-to-one support (doula) service for disadvantaged pregnant women
title_full The processes of implementing and sustaining an intensive volunteer one-to-one support (doula) service for disadvantaged pregnant women
title_fullStr The processes of implementing and sustaining an intensive volunteer one-to-one support (doula) service for disadvantaged pregnant women
title_full_unstemmed The processes of implementing and sustaining an intensive volunteer one-to-one support (doula) service for disadvantaged pregnant women
title_short The processes of implementing and sustaining an intensive volunteer one-to-one support (doula) service for disadvantaged pregnant women
title_sort processes of implementing and sustaining an intensive volunteer one-to-one support (doula) service for disadvantaged pregnant women
topic Doula
Facilitator
Process
Volunteer
url https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/34389/
https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/34389/
https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/34389/