Hold My Hand: Parents Supporting Parents (2002)
Group or Institution
Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec)
Author(s)
Beverley Bedford, Natalie Chapman, Natalie Reese, Jillian Archipow, Summah Ruddock, Debbie Klinkhammer, Rebecca Flanagan (Tutor: Diana Bowen)
Abstract
Parent-to-Parent is a worldwide support and information network for parents who have children with special needs. Support is provided voluntarily by trained support persons who have a child with the same or similar needs.
Parent-to-Parent Waikato Incorporated was formed in 1984 and employs a coordinator who works 30 hours a week. The coordinator’s role encompasses advocacy, support for families, referral to other organisations, organising family and sibling camps and training programmes for families and health professionals. Parent-to-Parent is funded by grants and donations from the community.
The project group worked for fifteen weeks in partnership with the coordinator of Parent-to-Parent Waikato, Jackie Williams, and meeting regularly to share information and to scope the purpose of the project.
The purpose of the project was to “investigate what health professionals know about the services and benefits of the organisation”.
A mother of a child with special needs shared her experiences with the project group. This assisted the group to better understand nurturing a child with special needs in a family. Project group members also voluntarily attended the Parent-to-Parent camp with children with special needs.
Three focus groups were facilitated with post-graduate nurses working in acute hospital settings and in the community. Information was gained regarding the understandings nurses had of children with special needs and the awareness that the nurses had of the Parent-to-Parent organisation. The focus groups also provided an opportunity for the project group members to formally present valuable information regarding Parent-to-Parent Waikato, to the participants of the focus groups.
It was also noted that the majority of the focus group participants knew very little about the Parent-to-Parent Organisation, and very few had ever referred to, or used, Parent-to-Parent Waikato.
Because of the fifteen weeks time frame allocated to the completion of this project, it was not possible to extend the focus groups to include other health professionals such as general practitioners and social workers.
Some of the key recommendations derived from the focus group discussion were:
- For Parent-to-Parent to seek and explore possibilities of gaining community sponsorship.
- To involve families in the professional education of nurses and nursing students, to extend the nurses’ knowledge in this area.
- Parent-to-Parent should continue to lobby the Government for a review of the current policy around respite care.
Group/s Associated with the Research:
Parent-to-Parent Waikato: Jackie Williams
A Mother of a Child with Special Needs: Yvonne
Parent-to-Parent Family Camp: Those who attended
Parent-to-Parent National Office Waikato
A full copy of the report is available from:
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