title: Barriers and promoters of participation in facilitated peer support groups for carers of children with special needs.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Social support is essential for physical and mental health and well-being. Evidence indicates that social and peer support is particularly important and beneficial for the well-being of those who care for children with chronic illness or disability in improving personal well-being and influencing parent-child play opportunities and child behaviour and development positively. MyTime is a government-funded Australia-wide facilitated peer support group program for carers of children with special needs.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim was to investigate the barriers and promoters of participation in this peer support group program.
  
  
  METHODS
  A qualitative approach was adopted where semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with 20 group members, four group facilitators and three play helpers. Interviews were recorded and transcribed. Inductive thematic analysis of the transcripts was conducted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most group members described gaining significant social support from group participation. Good group facilitation, the availability of play helpers, access to disability-related information and expertise, and the mutual exchange of support between members emerged as the most important promoters of group participation. Barriers included insufficient funding to run the program throughout the year, too much diversity in group members' socio-economic position and severity of their children's disability.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The facilitated peer support group program described in this paper appears to confer significant benefits to carers of children with disabilities and may be a model for other nations to consider in their strategies to improve services for carers of children with special needs.
authors.affiliation: Jean Hailes Research Unit, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Vic., Australia.
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hammarberg
authors.forename: Gina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sartore
authors.forename: Warren
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Cann
authors.forename: Jane R W
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Fisher
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia; D017028:Caregivers; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010379:Peer Group
keywords: disabilities; evaluation; parent support; peer support; social support