What Is “Family-Centred Care”?

Abstract

Family-centred care is a ubiquitous term in paediatric health facilities. It means that an admitted child can never be treated as a single individual patient, that the family is the unit of care, as the parents and family are central to the child’s wellbeing, especially during traumatic experiences. There is no rigorous evidence that family-centred care works, but qualitative research is drawing out some grave concerns with how it is implemented. Part of the problem is that there are many descriptions of family-centred care, but few definitions, and some of its component parts may be in place in some health services without the whole model being in place. This causes confusion amongst health professionals and parents and children, and makes it impossible to test in a randomised controlled trial. This paper discusses these problems and suggests that a new model, child-centred care, may be a better model of care for children.

What about the parents? : Sleep quality, mood, saliva cortisol response and sense of coherence in parents with a child admitted to pediatric care

“…The concept of FCC includes accommodation for parents, bathrooms, laundries, places to keep their belongings, places to eat, and free parking. Moreover, school and play facilities, television and computer games (for both child and parent) are needed (Shields, 2015). Both parents and nurses have expressed the view that FCC is essential for the child's welfare as it reduces the stressful aspects of being admitted to hospital (Coyne et al, 2016, Shields et al, 2006, Shields et al, 2012, Feeg et al, 2016.…”

“…A range of benefits from FCC have been reported in the literature, such as improved child and family outcomes, and increased satisfaction among child, family and health care professionals (Shields, 2015, Coyne et al, 2016. However, some recent studies have expressed criticism of FCC, as it does not always provide care from the child's perspective (Shields, 2015, Coyne et al, 2016.…”

“…However, some recent studies have expressed criticism of FCC, as it does not always provide care from the child's perspective (Shields, 2015, Coyne et al, 2016. Coyne et al (2016) suggest that FCC should be provided with a child-centered care approach, where the care is planned around the child's perspective and preferences, and does not set the parents in the center.…”

“…In line with the structural aspects given by Shields (2015), the concept of FCC in the participant hospitals included free accommodation for parents in single rooms at the child's bedside (I-III) or in a parent room close to the ward (III), access to a shared or private bathroom (I-III), and access to laundry facilities (III). The pediatric wards provided play facilities, school, television in the room, free Wi-Fi, and free parking, and the children were provided with food for free (I-II).…”

“…A child can never be treated as a single patient in health care, as the parents and family are central to the child's well-being (Shields, 2015). The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, article 9.…”