What are Family-Centered Practices?

At the core of family-centered practices lies the premise that providers believe all families are capable and competent.

Family-centered practices:

• treat families with dignity and respect;

• are individualized, flexible, and responsive to family concerns and priorities;

• include information-sharing so that families can make informed decisions;

• honor family choice regarding any number of aspects of program practices and intervention options;

• use parent-professional collaboration and partnerships as a context for family-practitioner relations;

• promote families’ abilities to obtain and mobilize resources and supports necessary for them to care for and rear their children in competency strengthening ways

(Dunst, 1995; Shelton & Stepanek, 1994; Trivette & Dunst, 2000).