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Open AccessArticle
Understanding Knowledge Mobilisation between Community Champions and Parents: Evidence from a Community-Based Programme to Support Parents with Young Children
by
Kath Wilkinson
Kath Wilkinson 1,*
,
Vashti Berry
Vashti Berry 1,
Jenny Lloyd
Jenny Lloyd 1,
Georgina Marks
Georgina Marks 2 and
Iain Lang
Iain Lang 1
1
College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, St Luke’s Campus, Heavitree Road, Exeter EX1 2LU, UK
2
Action for Children, Chestnut Family Hub, Exeter EX2 6DJ, UK
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Children 2024, 11(8), 901; https://doi.org/10.3390/children11080901 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 19 June 2024
/
Revised: 17 July 2024
/
Accepted: 25 July 2024
/
Published: 26 July 2024
Abstract
Background: Community champions have been employed across various settings to disseminate evidence-based public health information. The Building Babies’ Brains programme trains champions to work with parents in communities, equipping them with child development knowledge and parental engagement strategies. We explored what makes community champions effective in distributing information to parents, including how the champion–parent relationship and champions’ personal characteristics affect information dissemination. Methods: Champions included both peers and professionals working with parents in target communities. We administered an online survey (n = 53) and follow-up interviews (n = 14) with champions, with representation from across all training cohorts. We conducted a realist-informed reflexive thematic analysis to generate themes in the data and highlight the contexts, mechanisms, and outcome patterns identified. Results: We observed 15 Context–Mechanism–Outcome configurations across five themes: information sharing opportunities, information relevance, the nature of the champion–parent relationship, interaction expectations, and champion confidence. Our programme theory for how the community champion approach works identified that peer champions focused more on building rapport, modelling behaviours, and being a trusted community resource than direct information transfer. Professional champions, in contrast, showed greater expertise and confidence in discussing parenting practices directly. For both groups, traits such as friendliness and the ability to establish a trusting relationship enhanced effectiveness. Conclusions: This research identifies the impacts of champion role, characteristics, and the champion–parent relationship on the effectiveness of knowledge mobilisation in this context, with implications for training and recruitment of champions. Those using a champion model in comparable settings should ensure that champions have the necessary knowledge, skills, and confidence to engage parents and share information effectively.
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MDPI and ACS Style
Wilkinson, K.; Berry, V.; Lloyd, J.; Marks, G.; Lang, I.
Understanding Knowledge Mobilisation between Community Champions and Parents: Evidence from a Community-Based Programme to Support Parents with Young Children. Children 2024, 11, 901.
https://doi.org/10.3390/children11080901
AMA Style
Wilkinson K, Berry V, Lloyd J, Marks G, Lang I.
Understanding Knowledge Mobilisation between Community Champions and Parents: Evidence from a Community-Based Programme to Support Parents with Young Children. Children. 2024; 11(8):901.
https://doi.org/10.3390/children11080901
Chicago/Turabian Style
Wilkinson, Kath, Vashti Berry, Jenny Lloyd, Georgina Marks, and Iain Lang.
2024. "Understanding Knowledge Mobilisation between Community Champions and Parents: Evidence from a Community-Based Programme to Support Parents with Young Children" Children 11, no. 8: 901.
https://doi.org/10.3390/children11080901
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