Involving families who have deaf children using a Family Needs Survey: a multi-agency perspective.
BACKGROUND
Meeting the needs of deaf children and their families is multidisciplinary. Models of multi-agency working are diverse, and there is little evidence on outcome for family and child. Effective collaboration is an essential part of multi-agency working, and how this is achieved is an area that warrants research.


METHODS
An approach was developed to identify family needs using a need identification tool called a Family Needs Survey (FNS) in conjunction with a multi-agency meeting. The FNS was introduced in a pilot study to involve parents of deaf children with services and to identify their needs from their perspective.


CONCLUSIONS
A clear pathway was determined for application of the FNS. A model of multi-agency working was developed that involves families directly with different services at one time. Outcomes were measured by uptake of the FNS, parental attendance at multi-agency meetings, and completion of a parent evaluation questionnaire. Discussion of the FNS at a multi-agency meeting facilitates communication between professionals and between professionals and parents. There is some evidence that the FNS may be a useful tool. The majority of parents completed a FNS before multi-agency meetings and have indicated they are happy to share the information with other professionals.
Dalzell
J
J
Department of Child Health, Moston Lodge Children's Centre, Cheshire, UK. jane.dalzell@coch.nhs.uk
Nelson
H
H
Haigh
C
C
Williams
A
A
Monti
P
P
D002662:Child Health Services; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003638:Deafness / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007373:Interinstitutional Relations; D020380:Needs Assessment / Q000592:standards; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D006113:United Kingdom