FAMILY CENTERED DEVELOPMENTAL CARE AS EARLY INTERVENTION FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

Abstract

Disabilities have a lasting effect on child’s development and in turn have psychosocial impact on the child’s family. Family Centered Care (FCC) is defined as a way of caring for children and their families within health services which ensures that care is planned around the whole family, not just the individual child, and in which all the family members are recognized as care recipients. The family centered framework for early intervention is a synthesis of concepts from the Model of Human Occupation (MOHO by Kielhofner) and from the developmental literature on play. The similarities and distinctions between family-centered care and the earlier practices are discussed in this review. The barriers to this practice and the evolving trends are discussed.  Providing FCC to families of infants and toddlers with disabilities is an essential component of high-quality early intervention services. Thus, this article may throw light on this vital practice to facilitate better early intervention services.