Family-Centered Care in Pediatric Rehabilitation
Summary
Family-centred care in paediatric rehabilitation is an approach that positions the family as an active partner in assessment, goal setting and intervention. It recognises the child within the broader context of family dynamics, strengths and cultural values, and seeks to empower parents and siblings alongside the child. Core principles include respect for family preferences, transparent information sharing, collaboration in decision-making and tailoring of services to meet individual needs. By acknowledging parental expertise and fostering self-efficacy, this model improves engagement, adherence and long-term functional outcomes. Globally, it informs service design—from multidisciplinary in-clinic therapies to home-based programmes—and underpins policy initiatives aimed at equitable access, psychosocial support and continuity of care. Practical applications range from co-created digital tools that guide parents through goal formulation to reorganised service delivery models that maintain quality while enhancing accessibility. This comprehensive, holistic orientation has been shown to benefit not only the child’s physical and developmental progress but also family resilience, parental well-being and community participation.
Research from Nature Portfolio
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Family-Centered Care in Pediatric Rehabilitation publication trend
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Technical terms
Family-centred care: An approach that places the family unit at the core of therapeutic decision-making and service delivery, recognising family strengths, needs and participation.
Self-efficacy beliefs: Parental confidence in their own capacity to manage care tasks, make decisions and support their child’s development.
Biopsychosocial model: A framework that integrates biological, psychological and social factors in understanding health, disability and care needs.
Shared decision-making: A collaborative process whereby families and professionals jointly deliberate and decide on care goals and interventions.
References
- Changing Directions and Expanding Horizons: Moving towards More Inclusive Healthcare for Parents of Children with Developmental Disabilities. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (2023).
- Reorganizing pediatric rehabilitation services to improve accessibility: do we sacrifice quality?. BMC Health Services Research (2010).
- Co-creation of a digital tool for the empowerment of parents of children with physical disabilities. Research Involvement and Engagement (2017).
- Collaboration: How does it work according to therapists and parents of young children? A systematic review. Child Care Health and Development (2023).
- Family-Centred Care for Children with Biopsychosocial Support Needs: A Scoping Review. Disabilities (2021).
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