Nothing about us without us: involving families in early support.
Early Support is the England-wide government programme to achieve child-centred and family-focused services for children aged nought to five years with a disability or complex need and their families. Integral to the ethos of Early Support is the understanding that every decision should be influenced and led by children and families. Families are expected to play a strategic role in the development and monitoring of policy and practice, and the service is expected to be proactive in seeking their views. Section 242(1B) of the NHS Act 2006 now places a duty to involve service users in planning the provision of services, changes to services and the operation of services. Yet for many frontline staff, user involvement and partnership working in this way presents real challenges. Using a framework based on principles of interpretive phenomenology, this paper documents efforts to ensure that the stories of families are heard and used to inform the development of proposals for Early Support in Bedfordshire and explores ways to overcoming barriers to meaningful user-involvement.
Heywood
Janet
J
Bedfordshire Community Health Services.
D002675:Child, Preschool; D003256:Community Participation; D019988:Children with Disabilities / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D018479:Early Intervention, Educational / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004739:England; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011368:Professional-Family Relations