Family and professional experiences of safeguarding interventions during pregnancy: protocol for a qualitative evidence synthesis

Abstract

Background Over the past two decades, researchers have drawn attention to the numbers of babies removed from their parents at birth in England, as well as the rest of the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. Pre-birth social work is intended to identify potential safeguarding concerns that may affect the parent(s)’ ability to care for the baby safely once born, put support in place to reduce risk, and recommend a plan for after the birth. For example, for the baby to remain in the care of parents or be placed in foster care or with relatives. However, research has identified that pre-birth social work does not consistently achieve these aims, and that the process can be distressing for parents, social workers, midwives and other allied professionals. The aim of this systematic review is to present decision-makers with clear, applicable guidance to improve key stakeholders’ experiences of pre-birth social work in England. Methods This review will adopt a qualitative evidence synthesis approach to analyse research that captures the views and experiences of parents and professionals involved in pre-birth social work in countries with a similar approach to child protection as England. The data will be analysed using framework analysis and the findings discussed with experts in practice and experts by experience to ensure the recommendations are relevant to the policy and practice context in England. In accordance with the guidelines, this systematic review protocol was registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) on 20 January 2025 (registration number CRD42025639763).