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Interprofessional teamwork has been described as a key method in promoting health and preventing illness in children. However, evidence-based knowledge about which form of teamwork in Child Healthcare Services (CHS) that enables a holistic view of the child in his or her family, considering medical, psychological and social circumstances, is required.

This thesis aimed to produce evidence-based knowledge about teams and interprofessional teamwork that could be used in the Swedish CHS, as well as an understanding of influencing factors at the individual, organisational and societal levels based on nurses’, physicians’ and psychologists’ perceptions.

The thesis includes four studies (I–IV) that used quantitative, qualitative and mixed method design to answer the overall purpose of the doctoral thesis. Together, these methods form an exploratory sequential mixed method design. For the quantitative studies (I and II) and the mixed study (III), a national cross-sectional study in the form of a web survey was answered by 1119 nurses, physicians and psychologists engaged in the Swedish CHS. In study IV, an explorative qualitative design was used, and data was obtained from seven digital focus group interviews with nurses, physicians, and psychologists engaged in CHS.

Interprofessional teamwork within the CHS, in the form of physical meetings such as team-based visits and parental groups held by a team, where professionals, the child, and the parents are present at the same time, was found to be important to achieve the goals of the team and meet the unique needs of the child and his/her family. Team-based visits contribute to a holistic view of the child in his/her family where medical, psychological and social circumstances are considered. Healthcare professionals require team-based visits delivered by interprofessional teams, in line with proportionate universalism. However, perceived needs for targeted team-based visits exceed its existence, especially in cases of psychosocial or complex indications.

Based on the findings, there are reasons to consider interprofessional team-based visits in the CHS as an important resource to be developed. For optimal team-based visits within CHS, factors at the individual, organisational and social level are required. These factors include: 1) placing the child at the centre, 2) physical meetings, 3) equality and equity, 4) continuity, 5) trust and confidence, 6) competence and learning, 7) communication, 8) goals and motivation, 9) responsibilities and roles, 10) flexibility, 11) safety and effectiveness and 12) well-being and meaningfulness.