Evaluation of the Small Wonders Change Programme
Research type
Research Study
Full title
An evaluation of parental perceptions of the Small Wonders change programme to support families with babies in neonatal units
IRAS ID
159713
Contact name
Fiona Dykes
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Central Lancashire
Research summary
The Small Wonders Change Programme (SWCP) aims to improve the health of the premature and sick babies admitted to the Neonatal Units. It is designed to ensure all babies will receive greater amounts of breast milk, skin-to-skin contact and positive and protective parent interactions. Once these babies are discharged home, it is anticipated that they will be more likely to be breastfed and their parents will be more confident in caring for them, and mother may also be less anxious and depressed. The central component of the SWCP is a DVD that is given to all parents. In addition, the DVD forms the basis of a training programme delivered via a workshop for all unit staff to drive changes in practice. The SWCP DVD consists of a main film that follows nine families on their journeys from birth to their babies’ first birthday and addresses specific topics such as expressing and breast milk, twins and multiples, and bereavement).
This study relates to an in-depth evaluation of the SWCP on two level III Neonatal Units (Guy's & St Thomas's and Liverpool Women's). In Liverpool Women's an additional element of the SWCP has been the training of parent champions (10 mothers who have had an infant admitted onto the neonatal unit) to distribute the SWCP DVD and provide emotional and practical support to parents.
Pre-implementation parent/infant data was collected during 2011 (via issue of a parent survey/demographic data collected via hospital records/infant feeding status assessed up to 6 weeks post-discharge), and the SWCP was introduced in April, 2012.
In the current study it is intended that post-implementation parent/infant data (via issue of a parent survey/collection of demographic data from hospital records/infant feeding status 6 weeks post-discharge and interviews with 40 parents will be undertaken). Parent champions (Liverpool) will also be interviewed about their experiences.
REC name
West Midlands - South Birmingham Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/WM/1144
Date of REC Opinion
24 Sep 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion