The purpose of this Master’s thesis is to elucidate the role of social work in early family support, its integration within maternity hospital multidisciplinary teams and its contribution to children’s health and well-being, with regard to the significance of early interactions. A more prominent presence of social workers during the perinatal period can enhance primary prevention, ethical child protection practices and support for parents, both in their evolving personal experience of parenthood and amidst the environmental stressors and pressures they encounter.
The theoretical framework, which incorporates findings on the development of attachment in the earliest stages of life, is based on the premise that satisfactory interpersonal bonds significantly shape a child’s internal world and sense of security. In this context, postpartum practices that foster parental responsiveness to the child's needs play an important role. Special emphasis is placed on rooming-in and skin-to-skin contact, as the latter promotes infant regulation and the establishment of a bond. The importance of maintaining this practice even in specific postpartum circumstances is also discussed. The feeding process is presented as an important context for establishing relational security. Breastfeeding is situated within the broader context of the fundamental rights of the mother and child, as well as international commitments. Here, the role of social work, in accordance with ethical principles and professional competencies, primarily involves supporting parents and identifying social, economic and systemic factors that may hinder breastfeeding. The theoretical section also addresses the position of social work in perinatal family support by presenting scientific and professional conceptualizations of the social worker’s role during this period, international practices and key conceptual approaches to family-centered social work. The perinatal period is presented as an entry point for comprehensive family support, particularly in complex life situations. Specific attention is given to opportunities for improving social work support, with an emphasis on early systemic integration within the context of child welfare and protection.
Despite international recommendations, systemic gaps and the lack of a universally recognized definition of skin-to-skin contact persist. The empirical part of this research sought to investigate this gap. The research methodology is based on a two-phase mixed methods approach. In the first phase, data were collected via a questionnaire using a convenience sample of adult biological mothers who gave birth in Slovenian maternity hospitals. In the second phase, I conducted narrative interviews with eleven mothers who had expressed interest in participating in the first phase of the research. These narratives provided an in-depth insight into their subjective experiences of the first contact with their child, their retrospective reflections on it, the process of feeding and establishing attachment, as well as the identification of protective factors. This approach enabled methodological triangulation, as quantitative data provided a broader overview of the phenomenon’s characteristics, while qualitative data contributed to an understanding of its deeper, experiential dimensions. The results indicate that skin-to-skin contact is a largely established postpartum practice in Slovenian maternity hospitals. Its duration and quality, however, are significantly influenced by the circumstances of birth. Attachment between parents and the child is not solely dependent on initial postnatal contact but develops gradually through continuous interaction, care and responsiveness. The attitude and communication of medical staff, alongside individualized and comprehensive care, play a crucial role. Furthermore, the results highlight the insufficient integration of psychosocial support within the maternity hospital environment and the underutilized role of social work in the perinatal period. The concluding findings of this thesis can support the development of actionable knowledge for social workers in providing informed and effective encouragement and strengthening of early parent-child interactions. Based on these findings, proposals and opportunities for improving perinatal family support are presented, addressing education, practice and systemic frameworks. These emphasize the need for additional professional training; enhanced parental support through the inclusion of content on early attachment, breastfeeding and psychosocial support in parenting classes; greater involvement of fathers; the development of professional guidelines for the contribution of social work to breastfeeding and accessible forms of support throughout the pre-, peri- and postnatal periods. Moving forward, it is essential to strive for improved interdisciplinary support in Slovenian maternity hospitals and to further research the experiences of groups with diverse specific needs.
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