Peer-reviewed article
Co-Design With Mothers and Professionals to Enhance Care for Mothers Experiencing Adversity: Development of the METIC Model.
Lines LE, Scott AG, Conroy T, Hunter S ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This peer-reviewed paper describes the development of the METIC model, a co-design approach for involving mothers experiencing adversity and professionals in improving maternal and early childhood care services. The model embeds trauma-informed approaches to work sensitively with marginalised stakeholders and power differentials. The authors report successful engagement of both service users and professionals through a five-step process that prioritises relationship-building and accessible communication. The work resulted in an accessible research and translation action plan with positive participant feedback.
Key points
- The METIC model integrates trauma-informed approaches into co-design methodology to address power differentials and experiences of marginalisation
- The five-step process includes building relationships, recruitment and data collection, analysis and feedback, sharing outcomes, and ongoing engagement
- Key success factors were taking time to build trusting relationships and using tailored communication strategies such as easy-read visual summaries
- The approach successfully engaged both professional and service-user stakeholder groups
- Methodological challenges remain around how researchers should address broader systemic factors affecting equitable engagement
Limitations
This paper describes methodology development and co-design process rather than an evaluation of direct outcomes for children or mothers. It does not measure the downstream impact of the METIC model on maternal or child well-being.
Abstract
Introduction Co-design is increasingly used to partner with key stakeholders to facilitate user-driven improvements to health and social care services. Successful co-design relies upon stakeholder partnerships that promote empowerment and value diverse perspectives-which can be challenging when stakeholders are from diverse or marginalised backgrounds. Within this context, our research aimed to co-design a research and translation action plan to enhance non-stigmatising care for mothers experiencing adversities during pregnancy or their children's early years. Methods Theoretical frameworks (social constructionism, knowledge translation and experience based co-design) and local guidelines (ethical and consumer participation) informed successful co-design with stakeholder groups with power differentials and experiences of marginalisation. We developed the novel MEdiated Trauma-Informed Co-design (METIC) model remain sensitive to power differentials and experiences of trauma by embedding trauma-informed approaches. Results We engaged two stakeholder groups (professionals and service users) to promote equity and enable safe spaces for discussions using the METIC approach. The METIC approach includes five steps: (1) building relationships and triangulating evidence, (2) recruitment and data collection, (3) data analysis and feedback, (4) sharing outcomes and (5) ongoing engagement. Key learnings included the importance of taking time to build trusting relationships and using communication strategies tailored to diverse audiences, such as easy-read visual summaries. Conclusions Success was demonstrated through the co-design of an accessible research and translation action plan, which received overwhelmingly positive participant feedback. Key methodological challenges for future consideration include how researchers should respond to broader and systemic factors that impact equitable engagement in co-design. Patient or public contribution Members of the public contributed to the conceptualisation of this research as described in detail within the manuscript. Trial registration Not applicable.