cliëntprofessional

Cliëntprofessional is a term used in Dutch-speaking welfare and care sectors to refer to a client-centered approach in which the client actively participates in the planning, decision-making and evaluation of the support they receive, and where the professional works in partnership with the client rather than in a unidirectional expert-to-client role.

The word is a compound of cliënt and professional. It reflects shifting norms toward empowerment, shared decision making and respect for autonomy in social services, healthcare and education.

Core principles include respect for the client’s preferences and values, informed consent, transparency about options, collaboration in goal-setting, and clear professional boundaries.

Common contexts include social work, mental health care, rehabilitation, elder care, and patient-centered care initiatives in hospitals and clinics.

Benefits often cited are improved satisfaction, adherence to plans, better outcomes, and more sustainable support. Challenges include potential role ambiguity, need for additional training in communication and facilitation, and ensuring genuine power sharing without compromising safety and ethics.

The term relates to concepts such as client-centered care, person-centered care, participatory design, and co-production, and it may be used interchangeably or as a descriptor of a relational mode rather than a fixed title.

See also: client-centered care; person-centered care; co-production; user involvement; shared decision making; professional boundaries.