Best Beginnings for Baby (BeBB): Strengthening parenting to prevent FGM/C

BeBB will deliver the world’s first evidence-based community-led parenting program to reduce the incidence of FGM/C and build the well-being, health literacy, social support and self-efficacy of expectant mothers and fathers who recently arrived (<5 years) from countries where FGM/C is customary and whose baby daughters are at risk of FGM/C. 

BeBB is a 2-year project funded by the Department of Health and Aged Care.

FGM/C is a culturally ingrained practice with no medical benefits and is linked to harmful health consequences. It is illegal in Australia.
 

Why are we doing this implementation research?

• To identify evidence to support the needs and safeguard the daughters of recently settled expectant/new parents from countries where FGM/C is traditionally practised.
• Better engage targeted communities in designing and implementing health promotion programs.
• BeBB will provide strong evidence of the positive effect of parenting programs on improving child well-being and parent confidence.

Our work builds on years of research in parenting and FGM/C 

We know that:

• Improved health literacy and self-efficacy, which are achieved through positive parenting programs, are associated with FGM/C abandonment.
• Involving men and partners in parenting decisions plays an important role in the decline of FGM/C and in promoting harmony within the family unit.

BeBB will involve five phases

Phase 1

Community-led parenting curriculum co-design workshops with parents and experts from midwives, child and family health nurses and bilingual community educators (NSW and Victoria)

Phase 2

Training of trainers (NSW and Victoria) 

Phase 3

Pilot training of expectant parents, in addition to activities to expand their social networks and support acculturation with peers who have resided in Australia longer. (NSW and Victoria)

Phase 4

National Knowledge Exchange Forum

Phase 5 

National roll-out workshop with key individuals involved in providing care and services to women with FGM/C in all other states and territories (ACT, NT, WA, SA, TAS, & QLD)

Implementation research outcomes

• We will deliver a community-led, co-designed Best Beginnings for Baby parenting curriculum that can be used nationally and internationally. 
• We will deliver a pool of expert parenting mentors nationwide. 
• We will support social networks of mothers and fathers who recently arrived from countries where FGM/C is customary.

Our team

Professor Angela Dawson

Professor Angela Dawson is a public health social scientist, Professor of Public Health and Associate Dean Research at UTS and a conjoint Professor in the School of Public Health and Community Medicine at UNSW. 

She is a nationally and internationally recognised expert in health services, health promotion and prevention research for culturally and linguistically diverse populations (CALD), including refugees. Angela is a highly skilled qualitative researcher. 

She has extensive experience undertaking research in sensitive areas and interviewing vulnerable participants and health professionals engaged in their care.

Felicity Copeland

Felicity is a midwife and child and family health nurse with a master’s in research. She is an Honorary Fellow at UTS Faculty of Health. 

Felicity has extensive experience with UNFPA Global and the Burnet Institute, developing and implementing maternal health projects in low-resource settings. She is the lead author of the UNFPA Global Sample Midwifery Curricular (2024). 

Felicity has a clinical midwifery position at The Royal Hospital for Women in Sydney.  

Dr Salma Ahmed

Dr Salma Ahmed is a project officer at the University of Technology Sydney. Salma is a Sudanese public health professional and researcher from a medical background. She is currently pursuing her PhD in Public Health at the University of Technology Sydney, Australia. 

Salma holds a master’s degree in public and Tropical Health, as well as an MPhil in International Community Health from the University of Oslo, Norway. 

Salma has more than ten years of diverse research experience working on issues related to maternal and women’s health, HIV prevention, implementation of health projects and community-based interventions, policy making, and qualitative research.