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Key Elements of Family-Centered Services
- Recognizes
that the family is the constant in the child's
life.
- Facilitates
true parent/professional collaboration, and
not just coordination of services.
- Honors
the racial, ethnic, religious, cultural and
socioeconomic diversity of families.
- Recognizes
family strengths and differing ways of coping.
- Shares
unbiased information with parents on a continual
basis for the purpose of supporting their need
and ability to make decisions with adequate
information.
- Understands
the developmental needs of children and families
and incorporates these into the service systems
offered.
- Provides
continuous services to families until such time
that the child/family is no longer eligible
for services or families indicate they no longer
want or need the support provided.
- Offers
high-quality professional services in the form
of assessment, treatment and recommendations.
- Provides
comprehensive, interagency services that include
emotional and financial support for the family
as well as educational, therapeutic and medical
support for the child.
- Encourages
family-to-family support and networking.
- Respects
the family's right to refuse or postpone services
offered/recommended.
- Designs
services that are responsive to family-identified
priorities and needs.
- Designs
accessible services that are flexibly scheduled
in natural environments
for optimal family participation and benefit
to the child.
Adapted
from the film Family-Centered Care (1989), Association
for the Care of Children's Health , Washington,
DC.
4 Myths & Misconceptions About Family-Centered Services - Common misunderstandings regarding family-centered services.
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