Barriers to parental empowerment in the context of multidisciplinary collaboration on behalf of preschool children with disabilities
Engelsk titel: Barriers to parental empowerment in the context of multidisciplinary collaboration on behalf of preschool children with disabilities
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Författare:
Cameron, David Lansing
Email: david.l.cameron@uia.no
Språk: Eng
Antal referenser: 42
Dokumenttyp:
Artikel
UI-nummer: 18070068
Sammanfattning
The purpose of this study was to explore the role of parents in multidisciplinary collaboration on behalf of their preschool-aged children with disabilities from the theoretical perspective of empowerment. The study employed a multiple-case study design, including twenty-six individual and two focus group interviews with parents and professionals supporting six children and their families. Three interconnected themes emerged from the analysis. First, parents struggled with navigating a system that was perceived as rigid and cumbersome. Second, parents often found themselves in the position of having to ‘police’ the professionals involved in supporting them. Third, parents expressed a desire to ‘just be parents’ and relinquish a degree of control to professionals. Findings highlight central dilemmas associated with the goal and process of empowerment in the provision of social, educational, and health-related support.