Working in partnership: the development of a home visiting service for vulnerable families

Abstract The primary prevention of child abuse is both a clinical and political priority. Home visiting programmes consisting of structured visits by a professional over an extended period of time during the perinatal period have been identified in a number of studies as being a potentially effective means of achieving this. The use of professionally delivered home visiting programmes in the UK to date, however, has been limited. This paper describes the development of an innovative, primary care‐based home visiting service, which is aimed at the primary prevention of maltreatment, abuse and neglect and the promotion of positive parenting and secure attachment. The paper provides a description of the rationale and policy context for the new service and an account of its development, with particular emphasis on the aim of working ‘in partnership’ with families. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.