Practitioner experiences of delivering Video Interaction Guidance with caregivers and infants: Toward Culturally Competent Care

Recent reports and research have highlighted systemic racism and cultural insensitivities within maternal and perinatal services, causing harm to those using services and impacting access and engagement within care. Video Interaction Guidance (VIG) has gained an early evidence base and is rising to prominence within perinatal services. This is a relationship-based intervention that incorporates feedback of recorded clips of positive and attuned interactions between caregiver and child. Addressing cultural competence within VIG practice is pertinent to delivering effective, ethical care, that benefits all families.

The qualitative study explores VIG practitioners’ experiences of working with caregivers and infants and how they deliver culturally competent care. A reflexive thematic analysis of interviews with practitioners (N = 9) working within perinatal and parent-infant services yielded two themes (each with three subthemes): the VIG diamond, and missing families and untold stories.

The findings suggested that VIG practitioners’ practice can promote cultural competence, whilst aspects that hinder cultural considerations within their work also affect who is able to receive and benefit from the intervention. Implications for future research, practice and training, and policy are discussed.