Towards family‐centred practice in paediatric occupational therapy: A review of the literature on parent–therapist collaboration

Abstract

The importance of parent involvement in intervention with children has always been recognised by occupational therapists. Current trends in paediatric service delivery have been towards family‐centred care, with a central component of this approach being parent–therapist collaboration in planning and evaluating intervention. This paper reviews issues and provides suggestions for clinical practice from the literature on parent–therapist collaboration, including consideration of parents’ diversity and unique perspectives, development of effective parent–therapist relationships, establishment of shared goals and priorities when planning intervention, and development of services that support parent–therapist collaboration. Further research is needed in Australian settings to explore the nature of parent–therapist partnerships, the impact of parent participation throughout the intervention process and the extent to which collaboration with parents results in better therapy outcomes for the child and their family.