A holistic intervention programme for families with a child with a disability

Area of Science:

• Family Health
• Pediatric Nursing
• Disability Studies

Background:

• Parenthood of a child with a disability causes significant family stress.
• Healthcare professionals often lack adequate training to support these families.
• Families require targeted interventions to navigate the challenges of raising a child with a disability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a family intervention program co-developed with families adapting to a child's disability.
• To provide a framework for supporting families in the context of childhood disability.

Main Methods:

• Collaborative development of an intervention program with affected families.
• Integration of theoretical foundations, clinical experience, and prior research.
• Focus on a holistic approach addressing individual, marital, parental, and family subsystems.

Main Results:

• The intervention program effectively reduces parental stress and enhances adaptation.
• It promotes family autonomy and strengthens caregiving competencies.
• The program fosters a collaborative relationship between families and healthcare professionals.

Conclusions:

• The intervention transforms families and healthcare providers through mutual recognition of skills.
• It leads to enhanced competencies, self-determination, and life-changing individuality for families.
• This collaborative model redefines family adaptation to childhood disability.