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Objective: To explore the current practice and perceptions of health visitors in supporting multiple birth families. Design and sample: Practicing health visitors across the United Kingdom were invited to complete a cross‐sectional, descriptive, online survey. The questionnaire covered multiple birth caseload, education received about multiples and the experience of working with families. Two‐hundred and ninety health visitors completed the questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for analysis of the quantitative components and thematic analysis for the qualitative data. Results: Most health visitors had twins on their current workload. Most health visitors had not received any specific training or continuing professional development regarding the needs of multiple birth families. Supporting the families within the confines of reduced time and increased workload was challenging. Daily tasks of caring for multiples were the main areas that health visitors and parents wanted more information about. Conclusions: In the United Kingdom, health visitors are uniquely positioned to support multiple birth families, in particular during the more challenging early years. However, the findings of this study suggest that many health visitors are aware that the care and support that they are able to provide multiple birth families falls short of meeting their needs [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Supporting families during the first 1001 days from conception to the age of two is vital for setting the emotional, cognitive, and physical building blocks for children's futures. Families with twins, triplets, or higher order multiples (multiple birth families) have unique challenges due to caring for more than one baby at the same time. Therefore, identifying the needs of multiple birth families is necessary to provide optimum support during the first 1001 critical days. Design: A rapid review was undertaken to synthesize knowledge of the needs of multiple birth families in the United Kingdom (UK) during the first 1001 critical days. Findings from five databases (MEDLINE, APA PsycArticles, APA PsycInfo, CINAHL, and Web of Science) for peer‐reviewed studies and grey literature published between 2012 and 2022 were synthesized. Fifteen studies were reviewed using narrative synthesis. Results: Multiple birth families have unique and complex emotional and practical needs across the first 1001 critical days, and in particular, the first‐year post birth, impacted further by complicated pregnancies and prematurity. Needs were identified within the four key themes: high risk pregnancy and birth; transformed reality of raising multiples; inadequate support; and positively affecting experiences. Health professional support was inconsistent and particularly lacking in intrapartum, postnatal, and community care including transition. Conclusion: Multiple birth families' needs should be considered in the design and delivery of care within the first 1001 critical days, especially within the first year after birth. Multiples specific advice across the first 1001 critical days is needed and training for health professionals to adapt universal advice for this population is one way to achieve this. Further research is needed to ensure this advice is evidence based and effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]