Adhering with Childsmile: effects of maternal identity and social networks

One-third of parents and children, residing in the 20% most deprived communities in Scotland, do not participate in Childsmile. For people to participate in health services they must have, in addition to material wealth, personal and social network resources. Is it possible that families residing in material deprivation and who experience poverty in their personal and social networks are inhibited from accessing Childsmile? Objective:to explore qualitatively the effect of maternal identity (individual resources) and social networks (family, friends/or health professionals) on parents' ability to access Childsmile. Method: Purposive sampling was used to identify parents who met study conditions. A series of in-depth interviews were conducted with 47 mothers of preschool children. Data were analysed using the grounded theory procedures and techniques of open and selective coding. Results: The women's criteria for ‘being a good mother' shaped their maternal identity. To achieve being mother, they had to fulfil a composite ‘job description' as mother, daughter, friend and partner – then they recognised in themselves that they were ‘the business' – the prefect one for the job. This strong maternal identity enabled the women to maintain positive and mutually trusting networks inside and outside the family. These women had the personal resources and network ties facilitating access to child dental health care. Women, who were unable to fulfil their mothering identity, were disappointed and overwhelmed. They felt emotionally depleted and exhausted unable to find the resources to muster support from family or friends. This poverty in their social networks was reflected in non-adherence with Childsmile. Conclusion: This exploration revealed the effect of personal resource and social networks on parents' ability to access care for their children. The findings have informed questionnaire development to identify parents in need of support to access Childsmile. Support from Childsmile Programme (award number: 121.804490)