familycentered

Family-centered is an approach in health and social care that treats the family as the unit of care, involving family members as partners in planning, decision making, and evaluation of services. Rooted in pediatrics and disability services, it aims to align care with family values, preferences, and cultural practices.

Key principles include respect for family values and choices, open information sharing, active participation in decisions, and collaboration between professionals and families in service design and delivery.

Applications include pediatrics, maternity care, early intervention, rehabilitation, chronic illness management, and community supports across hospitals, clinics, home care, and schools.

Implementation emphasizes family participation in planning and rounds, use of family advisory groups, individualized care plans, and policies that accommodate family presence and flexible scheduling. These practices aim to improve satisfaction, adherence, and psychosocial well-being.

Challenges include resource constraints, time pressures, cultural and language differences, privacy concerns, and balancing family needs with safety and professional judgment; evaluation of outcomes remains complex.