Musie, Maurine RofhiwaMulaudzi, Fhumulani MavisAnokwuru, Rafiat AjokeSepeng, Nombulelo Veronica2024-10-042024-10-042024-02Musie, M.R.; Mulaudzi, F.M.; Anokwuru, R.; Sepeng, N.V. An Inclusive Framework for Collaboration between Midwives and Traditional Birth Attendants and Optimising Maternal and Child Healthcare in Restricted Rural Communities in South Africa: Policy Considerations. Healthcare 2024, 12, 363. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12030363.2227-9032 (online)10.3390/healthcare12030363http://hdl.handle.net/2263/98498DATA AVAILABITY STATEMENT: The data presented in this paper are available from the corresponding author upon request.Collaboration between midwives and traditional birth attendants for maternal and child healthcare is a challenge in rural South African communities due to the absence of a guiding framework. To address this, this study sought to develop and validate an inclusive framework informed by the Donabedian structure–process–outcome (SPO) framework for collaboration between these healthcare professionals. Method: Key stakeholders were invited to participate in a co-creation workshop to develop the framework. Twenty (20) participants were purposively sampled based on their maternal and child healthcare expertise. A consensus design using the nominal group technique was followed. Results: Participants identified the components needed in the framework, encompassing (i) objectives, (ii) structures, (iii) processes, and (iv) outcomes. Conclusion: This paper will contribute to the development of an inclusive healthcare framework, providing insights for stakeholders, policymakers, and practitioners seeking to improve maternal and child healthcare outcomes in resource-constrained, rural settings. Ultimately, the proposed framework will create a sustainable and culturally sensitive model that optimises the strengths of midwives and TBAs and fosters improved healthcare delivery to rural South African communitiesen© 2024 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ 4.0/).CollaborationFrameworkMidwivesNominal group techniqueStakeholder engagementTraditional birth attendantSDG-03: Good health and well-beingSDG-17: Partnerships for the goalsArticle