Facilitators and barriers of accessing community health services for children in the early years: An Australian qualitative study.

Abstract

Introduction: Foundations for health are set in the first years of life, however many children in Australia do not attain optimal development due to inequitable access to specialist care through impacting social determinants of health. There is a research gap in evidence for sustaining early years services that address these barriers. This study aimed to understand experiences and priorities of parents/carers and service providers around access to specialist early years health services in low socioeconomic areas of Armadale, Western Australia.

Methods: Thematic analysis was used to interpret meanings across focus group discussion data and find priorities for access to care and service delivery using a multilevel socio-ecologic model. Facilitators and barriers to access were identified related to each theme.

Results: Two major themes were identified. Within theme 'Finding Help', facilitators to access included extended family, community, and childcare. Barriers included social isolation, and overwhelm. In theme 'Structural Factors', facilitators included safe places and practices, political action and universal care. Barriers included social determinants of health, institutional bias, and fiscal policy.

Conclusion/discussion: Findings will inform policy, service delivery, and research priorities toward facilitating timely access to integrated care for vulnerable families with young children. Health equity will focus on co-design to remove structural barriers using a "one-stop-shop" model with soft entry, triage capacity, and a key worker to coordinate care for at risk families. To promote structural equity, a focus on access will include continuing engagement with families, facilitated by relational models of care to scaffold and support families toward autonomy.