The professional responses of midwives and social workers to domestic violence during pregnancy and postpartum

Abstract

Domestic violence (DV) during pregnancy and postpartum is considered a serious risk factor for the well-being of both the mother and unborn child. The perinatal period provides health and social care professionals a significant opportunity to identify DV and effectively intervene. Implementing a coordinated approach is paramount to combat DV during pregnancy and postpartum in order to reduce the adverse effects on the mother and child. Despite the significance of implementing coordinated policies to tackle DV during pregnancy and postpartum, the search conducted indicates that there was no local study exploring the professional relationship between midwives and social workers working within the area of DV. Hence, the study aimed to explore the professional cooperation between midwives and social workers in their work with pregnant and postpartum women experiencing DV. This study implemented a qualitative approach. The researcher conducted six semi-structured interviews with three midwives from various departments within Mater Dei Hospital and three social workers working within the DV field. The data collected from the interviews were analysed using thematic analysis. The main themes that emerged from the data collected were (1) the context of DV as presented by the participants, (2) the impact of DV during pregnancy and postpartum, (3) the type of support provided by the participants, and (4) the coordination of the service provision. It was highlighted that collaboration in cases of DV during pregnancy and postpartum is necessary to ensure that women receive a holistic service. Both midwives and social workers recognised that DV during pregnancy and postpartum is a complex phenomenon requiring coordinated policies and integrated services. The study found that midwives and social workers working within the DV field support women experiencing DV during pregnancy and postpartum through networking with specialised services and establishing a referral network. Lastly, the study concludes with several recommendations that emerged from the interviews and the research itself, including the importance of enhancing collaboration, addressing structural barriers, and ensuring continuous professional training. The significance of future research was also drawn up.