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Far North Parent-Professional Partnerships |
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Building Parent-Professional PartnershipsParent TalkAn ongoing dialogue with professionals to talk about goals, strategies and events in our daily lives helps to continue to move the partnerships ahead. With a sincere partnership we have been able to provide more continuity with our care. I send regular emails, phone with changes and just keep people In the loop of our daily lives. Parent-professional relationships within the community have changed quite a bit over the last 50 years. In the 1950’s, parents were simply asked to agree to their child receiving treatment outside the home. A plan of care was developed and approved entirely by professionals. In the 1960’s, parents were asked to approve the treatment plan and given some training to help them be better participants in the plan. In the 1970’s, the law PL 94-192 (now called IDEA), required schools to create individual education plans for students with disabilities and to include the parents in the development as well as the approval of the plan. By the 1980’s, Infant Learning Programs showed that education and treatment worked best when it centered on the strengths of the family and when the parents were included as PARTNERS. The family-centered approach combines the strengths of all the partners to create new possibilities in addressing the needs of the child and the family and honoring the uniqueness of the family. The experience gained through the Infant Learning programs encouraged parents to seek partnerships with professionals in the education and community-based service systems. In the 1990’s, Alaska’s developmental disabilities services system adopted the Infant Learning approach, that now recognized families as important partners in the development of treatment and care plans for their sons and daughters. Schools have strengthened the role of parents in the development of their child’s Individual Education Plan (IEP) and encouraged them to support their child’s education in the home. This training is designed to assist parents with becoming effective partners with creating their child’s school plan of care and treatment. To be effective, partners need a basic understanding of how systems operate as well as an awareness of communication skills, problem solving skills, negotiation skills and knowledge about family rights and responsibilities. Let’s start by looking at how services are delivered in Alaska. Parent-professional Partnership video |
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