Family-Centered Rehabilitation Care for Children with Cerebral Palsy in Saudi Arabia: Perceived Helpfulness of Formal...

Background/Objectives: Within a family-centered care framework, families of children with cerebral palsy (CP) rely on both informal and formal support systems to manage caregiving demands, yet the adequacy and perceived helpfulness of this support vary. This study aimed to examine the availability of different support sources for families of children with CP in Saudi Arabia, explore their perceived helpfulness, and evaluate the influence of child-, parent-, geographical-, and household-related characteristics on the level of family support helpfulness. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 223 caregivers of children diagnosed with CP across Saudi Arabia. The participants completed the Child and Family Questionnaire and the Family Support Scale (FSS), and the children were classified on the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS). Kruskal-Wallis H and Mann-Whitney U tests examined the differences in perceived support helpfulness across family, child, and household characteristics. Results: Spousal and kinship support were perceived as the most helpful sources, with families of children with bilateral spastic CP and more severe GMFCS perceiving less support. Overall, informal social support was significantly perceived as more helpful than formal support. Conclusions: Families of children with CP rely mainly on spouses and relatives for support, with lower perceived helpfulness among those facing greater caregiving demands, highlighting the need to improve the accessibility, coordination, and quality of support services.