Literature review on the evidence for family-centred practice within children’s disability services

This literature review found that FCP is a well-established philosophy of care. To enable it to work, the context of family lives must be taken into consideration. Evidence suggests that relational and participatory practices can lead to positive outcomes for families. Perceptions of FCP among family members are mixed, with an implementation gap between theory and practice. Realising the full potential of FCP requires an individualised approach and efforts to tackle barriers at an organisational or systemic level, including addressing the mismatch of expectations between families and service providers.

The findings suggest that families should not experience FCP as the ultimate shifting of responsibility for treatment and support. Parents valued a truly collaborative approach, backed by strong relationships and clear communication. Parents also recognise the need for a flexible and individualised model of service provision. Learnings from other models may also help to strengthen child participation and reflect the lived experiences of families within a broader social context.