The role of the support network in a vulnerable mother's personal, emotional and professional life.
Daniela Claudia Silva Fortes, Mara Regina Santos da Silva, Kateline Simone Gomes Fonseca and 2 others
PMID 40736279WHAT IT FOUND
Vulnerable mothers in Cape Verde reported that lack of support led them to quit work, rely on older children, resume abusive partners, or abandon personal goals.
Nurses should ask about support networks, not just childcare.
Key findings
01Ten mothers left jobs because they had no one to leave their children with, while five continued working.
02Mothers reported starting a new relationship, resuming an old one, or maintaining an abusive relationship to get childcare or financial support.
03Ten participants said they became mothers as teenagers and had to reorganize their lives, and education was interrupted when children arrived.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Only 15 mothers were interviewed, and they were selected by convenience through primary healthcare services. The study was conducted on one island, São Vicente, and the authors state the data are not representative at a national level. Participants had to declare themselves good mothers, so mothers who did not see themselves that way were not included. Data were collected during the COVID-19 pandemic, which may have shaped routines and support. This is a qualitative study, so it produces themes rather than tested effects.
Declared interests
The study was supported by a CAPES doctoral scholarship awarded to Daniela Claudia Silva Fortes; no other conflict-of-interest statement is given.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as proof that a support programme would reduce neglect or improve child development. It describes mothers' experiences in a single Cape Verde island and did not test any intervention.