Diverging perspectives on children's rehabilitation services: a mixed-methods study

Background: Family-centred ideology is increasingly regarded as a conceptual foundation in services to children with disabilities. Objective: First, to examine the extent to which parents and therapists perceive the service as family-centred; second, to explore factors affecting parents' perceptions of the service; and third, to explore how parents understood service aspects typically characterising family-centred services (FCS), such as the goal-setting process. Material and methods: Parents of 236 children and 25 therapists completed questionnaires (MPOC-32; MPOC-SP). Five parents shared their experiences in an open interview. Results: On average parents and professionals consider the service to be family-centred from a 'fairly great' extent (Respectful and Supportive Care/Treating People Respectfully) to a 'small' extent (Providing General Information). Parents' experiences were influenced by their child's age, functional performance, and type of disability. Analysis of interview data revealed three categories: Experiencing trust and respect, Collaborating or just following instructions?, and Balancing therapy with daily activities. Conclusion: Parents praise interpersonal relations but lack of information limits their possibilities to make informed choices about services. In order to translate better into the daily life of the family the intervention should focus more on their activities, routines and participation within the communities they live in.