About the study

The MECSH study, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), is looking at how the Maternal Early Childhood Sustained Home Visiting (MECSH) programme works for parents from Black and Asian backgrounds.

MECSH is an enhanced health visiting programme which helps support child development and parenting from pregnancy to the child’s second birthday for those families who need extra help

This study will use a mixed methods realist evaluation. This means we will use different types of research methods, such as questionnaires, interviews and reviewing data, to understand how and why the MECSH programme works for different families. We will explore whether Black and Asian parents in England are able to access the programme, take part in it, stay involved, and benefit from it in the same way as other families.

In completing this research study, we want to understand:

• How the MECSH programme works for parents from Black and Asian backgrounds
• What improvements might be needed to ensure barriers in accessing parenting support from families identifying as Black or Asian descent are minimised.
• How parents and health visitors feel about the MECSH programme.
• What could be done in the future to improve the MECSH programme so it works better for parents from Black and Asian backgrounds.
• Consider the cost effectiveness of MECSH programme or whether it is good value.

Why this is important?

This is important because the MECSH programme is delivered by the health visiting service in many sites across England and the Channel Islands, however, it has not yet been studied in England for parents from Black and Asian minority ethnic backgrounds (including mothers, fathers, grandparents, foster parents, adoptive parents, and stepparents). This is significant because research shows that parents from Black and Asian backgrounds often face barriers in accessing parenting support, and many current programmes do not meet their needs.

By understanding how the MECSH programme works for parents from Black and Asian backgrounds, what improvements might be needed, how both parents and health visitors feel about the programme, and how much it costs, improvements can be made. The results from this research will be shared widely to help improve services and support for children and families. We will work with parents and caregivers of babies and children under five years of age, practitioners, commissioners, policy makers and researchers in community settings. Parents and carers, particularly those from Black or Asian backgrounds and with experience of the MECSH programme are included throughout the project. There is a service user involvement group to ensure co-production principles are upheld, with one parent being a co-applicant on the research project.

The Study Team

The study is led by experts from the Institute of Health Visiting (iHV), University of Kent, London South Bank University, University of Edinburgh, Central London Community Healthcare Trust, and Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust.

• Dr Sharin Baldwin, (co-Chief Investigator) Senior Health Visitor Research Lead, Innovation and Research, Institute of Health Visiting; Adjunct Fellow, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Western Sydney University; Research Fellow, Centre for Health Services Studies, University of Kent
• Professor Sally Kendall (co-Chief Investigator) Professor of Community Nursing and Public Health, Centre for Health Services Studies, University of Kent
• Distinguished Professor Lynn Kemp (co-Applicant) Distinguished Professor & Director of Translational Research and Social Innovation (TReSI) Advisor/ MECSH programme developer/ International leader for early childhood interventions, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Western Sydney University
• Dr Chris Flood (co-Applicant) Professor of Health Care Practice and Research Health Economist, Department of Mental Health & Learning Disabilities, London South Bank University
• Dr Lawrence Doi (co-Applicant) Senior Lecturer in Applied Public Health, School of Health in Social Science, The University of Edinburgh
• Ms Jessica Streeting (co-Applicant) Nurse Consultant for Public Health Advisor/ Public Health Nurse Consultant, Quality and Learning Division, Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust
• Mrs Edwina Lintin (co-Applicant) MECSH Implementation Champion Research Associate/ MECSH Lead,  Health Visiting, Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust
• Amy Morton (Research Associate), Institute of Health Visiting
• Alice Cassidy (Research Assistant) Health Visitor Research Practitioner, Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust

Project Steering Group

The Project Steering Group comprises parents/carers (as individuals or as representatives from relevant organisations), clinicians and other key stakeholders. The group meets three times a year, to provide expert advice and be responsible for ensuring the research is delivering intended outputs. The group provides expert advice and monitors study progress against the agreed timeframes.

• Shereen Fisher – Independent Chair
• Lynne Reed – Department of Health and Social Care
• Mark Jordan – Local Authority Commissioner
• Louise Wolstenholme – Health visitor
• Chrissy Brown – Motivational Mums Club
• Kieran Anders – Dad Matters
• Laura-Rose Thorogood – LGBT Mummies

Project Partners

A range of organisations are involved in this project and their role is to promote the project within their networks, memberships and staff. We appreciate the support we have received from a diverse range of voluntary bodies, charities, academics, NHS Trusts and local authorities.

Study timescale

• 1 February 2026 – January 2029