Evaluation of the NSPCC UK Minding the Baby Programme
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Supporting young mothers (aged 14- 25) in the first two years of life: A Randomized Control Trial (RCT) of the NSPCC UK Minding the Baby (MTB) Home Visiting Programme
IRAS ID
135643
Contact name
Pasco Fearon
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
UCL
Research summary
Minding the Baby is an intensive and preventive home-visiting programme that helps vulnerable or high risk first time mothers aged 14-25 living in poverty. The focus of the intervention is to reduce negative infant and maternal outcomes and strengthen the attachment relationship. MTB is delivered by an interdisciplinary team of highly skilled practitioners, who have health and social work experience, integrating advanced practice nursing and mental health care for mothers and infants. The proposed Randomised Control Trial (RCT) will allow for testing the efficacy of this innovative intervention across three UK sites. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two arms, a treatment arm - Minding the Baby (MTB) or a control arm- Treatment as Usual (TAU). Potential participants will be approached by a member of the clinical care team within midwifery who will inform mothers of the project during their booking-in (8-10 weeks) or 20-week scanning appointment. Posters and leaflets will also be placed in antenatal clinics. Consenting eligible participants will be seen by a researcher before they give birth and when their child is one and two years old. We will be evaluating the effectiveness of the MTB programme by looking at a range of maternal and infant outcomes, including infant attachment security, maternal sensitivity and verified accounts of infant maltreatment and neglect. In addition we will be assessing the cost effectiveness of the MTB programme in order to support future roll-out of services. This study, involving a collaboration between the NSPCC, University College London and three NHS hospitals, affords a unique opportunity to advance knowledge regarding effective ways to support some of the youngest and most vulnerable children in the UK.
REC name
London - Dulwich Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
13/LO/1651
Date of REC Opinion
16 Jan 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion