MECSH
April 2021 to March 2023
MECSH (Maternal Early Childhood Sustained Home-visiting) is a programme of regular home visits with the same Health Visitor, commencing antenatally or very soon postnatally, and continuing until the child is two years old. It was originally developed in Australia.
Health Visitors use a strength-based approach to work in partnership with families whilst also developing therapeutic relationships. Anticipatory and preventative guidance is provided to support and enhance the skills and capacities of vulnerable families. The emphasis is on integrated working and enabling parents to engage (or ‘mesh’) with local services.
The project was piloted in the Better Start Bradford area and subsequently adopted district-wide.
1. Promoting First Relationships
Helping families to develop a strong attachment and positive relationship with their child.
2. Healthy Beginnings
Promoting a healthy lifestyle including infant feeding, nutrition, physical activity and social support.
3. Learning to Communicate
Enhancing the understanding of and ability of parents/carers to provide stimulation for their babies, which will facilitate baby’s communication development.
4. HABIT (oral health)
Improving parents’/carers’ knowledge of oral hygiene and understanding and commitment to active oral and dental care in their children.
It was delivered as part of the Better Start Bradford programme from 2021 to 2023 by Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust, and subsequently adopted district-wide.
Background, impact and findings
Further reading
Download this snapshot of MECSH, with headline stats, background, impact and learning (PDF).
The Maternal Early Childhood Sustained Home-visiting (MECSH) programme is a high-quality, evidenced based, nurse-led structured intervention for families needing extra support, originally developed in Australia.
Edwina Linton, Better Start Bradford’s MECSH project lead, who co-ordinated the development and introduction of the Australian MECSH model in Bradford, discusses the challenges and benefits of this programme for families
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