Family Conference Value

I want to discuss the value of the family conference in managing distress to families of children who have life limiting conditions.

I thought I would start by explaining why using a multidisciplinary approach, such as the family conference, has value within my own practice.

As an educator it is my job to provide a stimulating, safe, fun environment with every opportunity possible to enable me to help the students in my care to reach their full potential. I am currently working with students who have profound and multiple learning difficulties, many of them have life limiting conditions and as such have a high degree of dependency. My students require specialised management for their physical disabilities, sensory impairments and complex

Using the model of reflecting back, to allow and encourage a connection gives them a feeling of being understood and ‘listened’ to. It is a basic need to be listened to, we can all relate to that feeling, a problem shared is a problem halved. Often the family are able to find their own solutions to their problems which enable them to participate, engage with professionals and make decisions emotionally charged or not from this type of dialogue. I believe that on a theoretical level this philosophy is routed in the work of DR Carl Ransom Rogers (January 8, 1902 – February 4, 1987) and DR Murray Bowen (31 January 1913, 9 October 1990) Supportive listening is recognised in psychosocial palliative care and is one of the strategies used in coping and communication support (CCS) an intervention used with older patients diagnosed with late-stage cancer to relieve distress. (Powazki and Walsh, 2014) states within this paper that a key principle is that the family comprises the unit of care and is encouraged to participate. Its effectiveness relies on their engagement in collaborating with treatment plans. The supportive listening facilitates this process. The family conference allows for it to come to fruition. Managing family

(Powazki and Walsh 2014) This empowerment of patient and family is at the heart of The Family Conference. Without this the conference would not have any value. The empowerment of the family is evident at family conferences in my practice via the use of the parent and patient questionnaire collated before the meeting takes place. This questionnaire is a simple user friendly ‘prop’ for the parents to use within the session, it is also our reference of what they will want to discuss during the meeting, so we can be prepared for them. It is something they compile away from the conference, they can write their questions, issues, fears whatever is important at the time. It is a way for them to effectively communicate their thoughts they are in effect making the action plan with their ideas, opinions and advice. This has tremendous therapeutic value. It is a way for them to prepare for the meeting. It can help them to create order and relieve any worry that they may have about the conference thus empowering them. I believe that to discuss and write down these questions before the meeting is therapeutic in that they are putting it out there with the understanding that there may be solutions or support. People often fear the unknown more than they fear the known.