Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-p9bg8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T17:17:08.643Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Befriending Young Mothers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

A. D. Cox*
Affiliation:
Division of Psychiatry, Bloomfield Clinic, Guy's Hospital, London Bridge, London SE1 9RT

Abstract

The context of voluntary befriending schemes to help mothers of young children is outlined. There is evidence that two main UK voluntary befriending schemes to help mothers of young children engage families where there is significant psychosocial morbidity. It is concluded that well conducted befriending schemes can make a significant contribution to the mental health of mothers and children. Whether they do so will depend on their experience and training and the elements they incorporate.

Type
Annotation
Copyright
Copyright © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Barbrack, C. R. (1970) The Effect of Three Home-Visiting Strategies Upon Measures of Children's Academic Aptitude and Maternal Teaching Behaviours. Nashville, Tennessee: DARCEE Papers.Google Scholar
Barclay, P. M. (1982) The Barclay Report. Social Workers: Their Role and Tasks. The report of a working party under the chairmanship of P. M. Barclay. London: Bedford Square Press for the National Institute of Social Work.Google Scholar
Belsky, J. & Vondra, J. (1989) Lessons from child abuse: the determinants of parenting. In Child Maltreatment: Theory and Research on the Causes and Consequences of Child Abuse and Neglect (eds Cicchetti, D. & Carlson, V.), pp. 153202. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Blanz, B., Schmidt, M. H., Esser, G., et al (1990) The importance of early and current risk factors for the development of psychiatric disorder in childhood and adolescence. In The Public Health Impact of Mental Disorder (eds Goldberg, D. & Tantam, D.), pp. 145153. Toronto: Hogrefe & Huber.Google Scholar
Bronfenbrenner, U. (1974) Is Early Intervention Effective? A Report on Longitudinal Evaluation of Pre-School Programmes (vol. 2). Washington. DC: Department of Health, Education & Welfare.Google Scholar
Brown, G. W. (1988) Causal paths, chains and strands. In Studies of Psychosocial Risk (ed. Rutter, M.), pp. 285314. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Brown, G. W., Harris, T. O. & Bifulco, A. (1986) Long-term effects of early loss of parent. In Depression in Young People (eds Rutter, M., Izard, C. E. & Read, P. B.), pp. 251296. New York: Guilford.Google Scholar
Caspi, A. & Elder, G. H. (1988) Emergent family patterns: the intergenerational construction of problem behaviour and relationships. In Relationships Within Families: Mutual Influences (eds Hinde, R. A. & Stevenson-Hinde, J.), pp. 218240. Oxford: Clarendon.Google Scholar
Cox, A. D. (1988) Maternal depression and impact on children's development. Archives of Disease in Childhood, 63, 9095.Google Scholar
Cox, A. D., Pound, A., Mills, M., et al (1990) Evaluation of the Home Visiting and Befriending Scheme for Young Mothers. London: Newpin final report to the Department of Health.Google Scholar
Cox, A. D., Pound, A., Mills, M., et al (1991) Evaluation of a home visiting and befriending scheme for young mothers: Newpin. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 84, 217220.Google Scholar
Creighton, S. J. (1986) The incidence of child abuse and neglect. In Early Prediction and Prevention of Child Abuse (eds Browne, K., Davies, C. & Stratton, P.), pp. 3141. Chichester: Wiley.Google Scholar
Douglas, J. & Richman, N. (1984) My Child Won't Sleep. Harmondsworth: Penguin.Google Scholar
Dowdney, L., Mrazek, D., Quinton, D., et al (1984) Observation of parent-child interaction with two-to three-year-olds. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 25, 379407.Google Scholar
Elliott, S. A., Sanjack, M. & Leverton, T. J. (1988) Parents groups in pregnancy: a preventive intervention for post-natal depression? In Marshalling Social Support (ed. Gottlieb, B. H.). London: Sage.Google Scholar
Evans, R. (1991) Newpin: The New Parent Infant Network. National Development Strategy 1992–1995. London: Newpin.Google Scholar
Giovannoni, J. (1989) Definitional issues in child maltreatment. In Child Maltreatment: Theory and Research on the Causes and Consequences of Child Abuse and Neglect (eds Cicchetti, D. & Carlson, V.), pp. 337. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Harris, T., Brown, G. W. & Bifulco, A. (1990) Loss of parent in childhood and adult psychiatric disorder: a tentative overall model. Development and Psychopathology, 2, 311328.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
HMSO (1976) Fit for the Future (Committee on Child Health Services, Court report). London: HMSO.Google Scholar
HMSO (1977) Violence to Children: First Report for the Select Committee on Violence in the Family (House of Commons, session 1976–7). London: HMSO.Google Scholar
HMSO (1988) Working Together: A Guide to Arrangements for Multiagency Co-operation for the Protection of Children From Abuse. Department of Health A Social Security and Welsh Office. London: HMSO.Google Scholar
Jenkins, A. (1987) Recognising and treating the hurt child within parents. In Families Matter (eds Whitfield, R. A Baldwin, D.). London: Collins Fount.Google Scholar
Jenkins, J. M. & Smith, M. A. (1991) Marital disharmony and children's behaviour problems: aspects of a poor marriage that affect children adversely. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 32, 793810.Google Scholar
Kaufman, J. & Zigler, E. (1989) The intergenerational transmission of child abuse. In Child Maltreatment: Theory and Research on the Causes and Consequences of Child Abuse and Neglect (eds Cicchetti, D. & Carlson, V.), pp. 129150. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Kempe, H. C. & Helfer, R. E. (1972) Innovative therapeutic approaches. In Helping the Battered Child and his Family (eds Kempe, C. H. & Helfer, R. E.), pp. 4154. Philadelphia: Lippincott.Google Scholar
Kingdon, D. G., Turkington, D., Collis, J., et al (1989) Befriending: cost-effective community care. Psychiatric Bulletin, 13, 350351.Google Scholar
Kolvin, I., Garside, R. E., Nicol, A. R., et al (1981) Help Starts Here. London: Tavistock.Google Scholar
Kolvin, I., Miller, F. J. W., Scott, D. McI., et al (1990) Continuities of Deprivation? The Newcastle 1000 Family Study. Aldershot: Avebury.Google Scholar
Lazar, I. & Darlington, R. (1982) Lasting effects of early education: a report from the Consortium for Longitudinal Studies (serial no. 195). Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, 47, pp.23.Google Scholar
Lines, D. R. (1987) The effectiveness of parent aides in the tertiary prevention of child abuse in South Australia. Child Abuse and Neglect, 11, 507512.Google Scholar
Mayall, B. (1986) Keeping Children Healthy. London: Allen & Unwin.Google Scholar
Mitchell, R. G. (1975) The incidence and nature of child abuse. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, 17, 641644.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McGuire, J. & Earls, F. (1991) Prevention of psychiatric disorders in early childhood. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 32, 129153.Google Scholar
Newson, J. & Newson, E. (1976) Seven Years Old in the Home Environment. London: Allen & Unwin.Google Scholar
Newton, J. (1992) Preventive work with under-fives and their families. In Preventing Mental Illness in Practice (ed. Newton, J.), pp. 2659. London: Routledge.Google Scholar
Nicol, R. (1988) The treatment of child abuse in the home environment. In Early Prediction and Prevention of Child Abuse (eds Browne, K., Davies, C. A Stratton, P.), pp. 213228. Chichester: Wiley.Google Scholar
Osofsky, J. O., Culp, A. M. & Ware, L. M. (1988) Intervention challenges with adolescent mothers and their infants. Psychiatry, 51, 236241.Google Scholar
Parton, N. (1985) The Politics of Child Abuse. London: MacMillan.Google Scholar
Phillips, J. (1989) Public Health Annual Report Update 1988. Liverpool: Liverpool Health Authority.Google Scholar
Pound, A. (1991) Newpin and child abuse. Child Abuse Review, 5, 710.Google Scholar
Pound, A. & Mills, M. (1985) A pilot evaluation of Newpin, a home-isiting and befriending project in south London. Association of Child Psychology and Psychiatry Newsletter, 7, 1315.Google Scholar
Pugh, G. & De'Ath, E. (1989) Working Towards Partnership in the Early Years. London: National Children's Bureau.Google Scholar
Quinton, D. & Rutter, M. (1984) Parenting behaviour of mothers raised ‘in care’. In Longitudinal Studies in Child Psychology and Psychiatry: Practical Lessons From Research Experience (ed. Nicol, R.), pp. 157201. Chichester: Wiley.Google Scholar
Richman, N. (1985) Disorders in pre-school children. In Child and Adolescent Psychiatry: Modem Approaches (eds Rutter, M. & Hersov, L.), pp. 336350. Oxford: Blackwell.Google Scholar
Richman, N., Stevenson, J. & Graham, P. (1982) Pre-School to School: A Behavioural Study. London: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Robins, L. & Rutter, M. (1990) Straight and Devious Pathways from Childhood to Adulthood. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Rutter, M. (1989a) Pathways from childhood to adult life. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 30, 2351.Google Scholar
Rutter, M. (1989b) Psychiatric disorder in parents as a risk factor for children. In Prevention and Mental Disorders, Alcohol and other Drug Use in Children and Adolescents (eds Shaffer, D., Phillips, I & Enzer, N. B.). Rockville, Maryland: Office for Substance Abuse Prevention.Google Scholar
Rutter, M. (1989c) Intergenerational continuities and discontinuities in serious parenting difficulties. In Child Maltreatment: Theory and Research on the Causes and Consequences of Child Abuse and Neglect (eds Cicchetti, D. & Carlson, V.), pp. 317348. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cox, A., Tupling, C., et al (1975) Attainment and adjustment in two geographical areas. British Journal of Psychiatry, 126, 493509.Google Scholar
Rutter, M., & Sandberg, S. (1992) Psychosocial stressors: concepts, causes and effects. European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 1, 313.Google Scholar
Sanson, A., Oberklaid, F., Pedlow, R., et al (1991) Risk indicators: assessment of infancy predictors of pre-school behavioural maladjustment. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 32, 609626.Google Scholar
Seitz, V. (1990) Intervention programmes for impoverished children: a comparison of educational and family support models. Annals of Child Development, 7, 73103.Google Scholar
Shinman, S. (1981) A Chance for Every Child: Access and Response to Pre-School Provision. London: Tavistock.Google Scholar
Stevenson, J., Bailey, V. F. A. & Simpson, J. (1988) Feasible intervention in families with parenting difficulties: a primary preventive perspective on child abuse. In Early Prediction and Prevention of Child Abuse (eds Browne, K., Davies, C. & Stratton, P.), pp. 121138. Chichester: Wiley.Google Scholar
Sylva, K. (1989) Does early intervention ‘work’? Archives of Disease in Childhood, 64, 1103–4.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Van der Eyken, W. (1990) Home-Start: A Four-Year Evaluation. Leicester: Home-Start Consultancy.Google Scholar
Wolfenden Report (1978) The Future of Voluntary Organisations. London: Croom Helm.Google Scholar
Wolff, H. (1977) The therapeutic and developmental functions of psychotherapy. British Journal of Medical Psychology, 44, 117130.Google Scholar
Zigler, E. & Hall, N. W. (1989) Physical child abuse in America: past present and future. In Child Maltreatment: Theory and Research in the Causes and Consequences of Child Abuse and Neglect (eds Cicchetti, D. & Carlson, V.), pp. 7694. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.