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4 Myths and Misconceptions about Family-Centered Services
Do you share in any of these?
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| Myth #1: Family-centered services requires
that professionals do what the family wants even if they don't
agree with the request. |
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Fact #1
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Family-centered services has two key words in the phrase:
family and service. Professionals and families are obligated to
discuss and educate one another about services required and/or
recommended. If differences of opinion exist, the partnership
should work to negotiate a plan that is agreeable to both and
believed to be beneficial for the child and family. It is unethical
for professionals to deliver services they are untrained to provide
or have knowledge to be ineffective; what the professionals do must
be helpful and a service to the family. |
| Myth #2: Home-based services and meetings
are required for family-centered services. |
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Fact #2
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Home-based services and meetings may be useful and preferred
for some families. Others may find them intrusive and inconvenient.
Furthermore, home-based services and meetings can be very expensive
and inefficient in terms of time and space for some purposes.
Professionals and families should discuss the most optimal location
for services and meetings that will result in the most productive
and time-efficient outcomes. Family-indicated preferences and needs
should, however, be a key factor in determining the location. |
| Myth #3: The Service Coordinator's job is to
address the family's needs on the IFSP and the other professionals
are to address the child's needs. |
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Fact #3
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All members of the assessment and service team are responsible
for delivering family-centered services. This means engaging
parents in a dialogue about their views, wishes, and needs
regarding every aspect of assessment and intervention for their
child. These wishes and needs may require a professional to focus
their time and attention on the family or parent instead of the
child. The Service Coordinator's job is to assure the family that
they have access to needed services and assure team member's that
they have information necessary to provide quality family-centered
services. |
| Myth #4: Family-centered services are
designed for families who are poor, uneducated and have many
needs. |
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Fact #4
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Every family should be assured services that respect the
family's strengths, desires and needs. Some families will require
more support from professionals because of limited intra-familial
resources. Other families will require less services. Some families
will require financial and medical support; other will require only
emotional support. But all families deserve the respect and
attention associated with family-centered services in order to feel
competent and confident about moving into the future with their
child who has disabilities. |
