Engaging in partnerships is the key to preserving and creating a trustful collaboration with vulnerable families: A...

Maternal vulnerability challenges parenthood and represents a critical task for health professionals working in postnatal care. Being born to a vulnerable mother may have wide-ranging effects on child development and carry the risks of impairment in cognitive performance, behavioural disturbances and mental problems which may persist into late childhood and adolescence. It is vital to explore the perspectives of healthcare professionals who have experience of caring for vulnerable families at the obstetric department and in the transition to the primary healthcare sector to identify and describe potential barriers, challenges and the potential for any improvements in postnatal care. The aim of this study was to describe healthcare professionals' experience of vulnerable families and their extended stay at the obstetric department, and to describe the collaboration between the primary and the secondary healthcare sectors concerning postnatal care.

A qualitative inductive descriptive design with focus group interviews was used for data collection. Two two-hour focus group interviews were conducted at a university hospital in the Capital Region of Denmark in February 2019.

In total, 16 health professionals from the obstetric department and primary healthcare sectors participated. The overall theme found was Engaging in partnership across sectors and with families can improve postnatal care for vulnerable families. It emerged from three categories: 1) vulnerability as an individual perception, 2) communication and trust as essential competencies and 3) collaboration in a partnership.

This study demonstrates the complexity and challenges of postnatal care provided to vulnerable families. It highlights the possibilities and benefits of engaging in partnership across sectors and families to improve postnatal care for vulnerable families. Engaging in partnerships improves the quality of the extended stay at the obstetric department and the transition to the primary healthcare sector.