Realist Evaluation of Best Beginnings Interventions
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A realist evaluation into the implementation and outcomes of Best Beginnings resources on infant feeding
IRAS ID
169725
Contact name
Gill Thomson
Contact email
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 7 months, 31 days
Research summary
Through Department of Health Strategic Development Funds, Best Beginnings have acquired funds to appoint key staff (professional lead educator and project coordinator) to undertake strategic activities within three UK regions (North East, North West and Yorkshire & the Humber). The key intention of this strategic work is to promote commissioning of Best Beginnings resources (e.g. From Bump to Breastfeeding, Baby Buddy App and Baby Express magazine) and in three selected areas
(intention is to select one area per geographical region) the expertise of Best Beginnings staff will be provided to embed the resources within care pathways using a multi-disciplinary ‘appreciative inquiry’ change-management approach. The embedding work will involve the professional lead educator (and supported by the coordinator) connecting Best Beginnings and maternity/early years professionals in order to:
• Raise awareness of the various resources
• Enable action learning sets to co-develop and deliver effective plans to embed the resources in a multi-pronged approach
• Give staff vital insights into parents’ experiences to inform practice
• Ensure that women receive the resources at key points (antenatally and/or postnatally) in the context of a conversation.Research staff at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) were the named evaluators in the Department of Health bid. An in-depth evaluation will be undertaken in the three selected localities (who sign up/commission all of the Best Beginnings resources - From Bump to Breastfeeding, Baby Buddy App and Baby Express) to identify how and whether effective embedding of Best Beginnings resources has a positive impact on breastfeeding initiation and duration rates as well as women's attitudes, confidence and experience of infant feeding and parenting. The evaluation will involve ethnographic methods (observations and follow-up interviews with stakeholders involved in embedding work),surveys (women and professionals) and collection of anonymised Trust (breastfeeding) and monitoring data.
REC name
East Midlands - Nottingham 2 Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/EM/0227
Date of REC Opinion
26 May 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion