Abigail Edwards

This book provides essential knowledge and tools for home visitors and other parent-facing professionals to build trusting relationships with birthing people, in order to provide them with the information, guidance, resources and signposting they need to avoid adverse health outcomes. Adverse health outcomes as a result of pregnancy and birth impact millions of women, birthing people and infants each year, affecting physical and mental health, and in some cases resulting in death. Due to systemic bias and persistent socioeconomic disparities, certain groups are more at risk for these poor outcomes, including people of color, especially Black people, people from lower socio-economic backgrounds, LGBTQ+ people, and disabled people. Sitting within a social determinants of health framework, this practical guide summarizes the most relevant research and translates it into action steps. Each chapter will address a key issue related to morbidity and mortality in relation to pregnancy and birth, including statistics, key definitions; discussion of risk factors, protective factors, and disparities. Case studies, reflective questions and recommendations make it straightforward for the reader to apply the learning to their own practice. This book is an invaluable resource for all those health, community and social service providers, including home visitors, who work with families, parents-to-be and new parents.

This book provides essential knowledge and tools for home visitors and other parent-facing professionals to build trusting relationships with birthing people, in order to provide them with the information, guidance, resources and signposting they need to avoid adverse health outcomes. Adverse health outcomes as a result of pregnancy and birth impact millions of women, birthing people and infants each year, affecting physical and mental health, and in some cases resulting in death. Due to systemic bias and persistent socioeconomic disparities, certain groups are more at risk for these poor outcomes, including people of color, especially Black people, people from lower socio-economic backgrounds, LGBTQ+ people, and disabled people. Sitting within a social determinants of health framework, this practical guide summarizes the most relevant research and translates it into action steps. Each chapter will address a key issue related to morbidity and mortality in relation to pregnancy and birth, including statistics, key definitions; discussion of risk factors, protective factors, and disparities. Case studies, reflective questions and recommendations make it straightforward for the reader to apply the learning to their own practice. This book is an invaluable resource for all those health, community and social service providers, including home visitors, who work with families, parents-to-be and new parents.

Home should be a retreat, a place for our minds to slow down and unwind, a place that feels safe and free of the stresses and insecurities of the outside world. Many people fear pattern and strong colour, thinking it can take this sense of calmness away. But pattern, when chosen carefully, can ground a space and create an atmosphere that improves one's sense of self or wellbeing. In this book Abigail showcases her own patterns and interviews artisanal designers in New York, Scandinavia, Germany and the UK. Both hers and their inspirations are showcased, with the final chapter of the book demonstrating how to use them in a practical way at home.

Many organizations worldwide are currently exploring the potential gains to be made from working with virtual teams. Although many different things are meant by use of 'virtual' (and indeed by 'teams'), usually it denotes groups of people with common purpose and goals working in different locations and often different time zones; they will be interconnected via a variety of telecommunications networks, perhaps including the Internet and intranet, video conferencing, shared white boards, as well as telephone, mail and e-mail. For organizations implementing such virtual teams there is a great need for guidance, in terms of the organizational structure and support which needs to be put in place. This book offers a practical guide to developing virtual teams, providing both an overview of what is involved and also a clear simple framework around which organizations can build their own implementation process. Although the different support technologies are discussed (at a generic level), the thrust of the book is on the organizational and human factors issues which must be addressed to make virtual teams a success. It contains detailed case studies to show how virtual teams work and where they can go wrong.

Many organizations worldwide are currently exploring the potential gains to be made from working with virtual teams. Although many different things are meant by use of 'virtual' (and indeed by 'teams'), usually it denotes groups of people with common purpose and goals working in different locations and often different time zones; they will be interconnected via a variety of telecommunications networks, perhaps including the Internet and intranet, video conferencing, shared white boards, as well as telephone, mail and e-mail. For organizations implementing such virtual teams there is a great need for guidance, in terms of the organizational structure and support which needs to be put in place. This book offers a practical guide to developing virtual teams, providing both an overview of what is involved and also a clear simple framework around which organizations can build their own implementation process. Although the different support technologies are discussed (at a generic level), the thrust of the book is on the organizational and human factors issues which must be addressed to make virtual teams a success. It contains detailed case studies to show how virtual teams work and where they can go wrong.