[Facilitators and Challenges of Community-based Prevention Programmes for Children - Results of a Qualitative Study]

Prevention strategies in community settings for children and youth are integrative health promotion strategies with cross-sector partnerships to improve health and social participation in children and youth at the community level. The objective of the qualitative study was to investigate cross-sector partnerships in German communities when implementing community-based prevention strategies targeting health of children and youth. Such strategies of health promotion have included complex interventions involving multiple stakeholders from different sectors jointly working together. The specific aims were: (1) to explore the structure and organization of the cross-sector partnerships and (2) to identify facilitating and hindering factors when implementing community-based prevention strategies targeting health of children and youth from the perspective of stakeholders.

Data were collected using semi-structured interviews with eight experts of local governments in German municipalities.

Our results show that mechanisms of interagency collaborations in child and youth health programs included networking processes on a vertical and horizontal level. These included the creation of inter-sectoral networks for joint development of structures and actions. Inter-sectoral networks were accompanied by network moderators. Successful cooperation was promoted through engagement, joint goal-setting, political support and use of existing resources. Lack of resources, a low engagement of local actors and a lack of acceptance of the aspirations are identified as barriers. The extent of facilitating and hindering factors varied depending on the local structures of municipalities.