Family Education Programs for disable children’s families: A promising proposal

Abstract

The importance of intervening with families has been particularlyemphasized when the aim is to promote human development. With regardto children with disabilities, this work acquires a peculiar importance. If, onthe one hand, the family needs to expand its competences in order to behavemore efficiently when a child has a disability, on the other hand, it requiresgreater attention to carry out the normative and non-normative tasks of its life course. This article aims to present a critical review of the literature in order topropose Family Education Programs as a promising alternative for workingwith the families of children with disabilities in the perspective of the FamilyCentered Model. In order for families to have a more involvement in publicpolicies and prevention and intervention programs for children with disabilities,it is necessary to use programs based on the Family Centered Models, apowerful resource for professionals in the areas of health and education, sincethe focus is on the families’ self-management and social control. Among thetypes of programs centered on families, we emphasize the entitled “FamilyEducation Programs”, whose families are encouraged to play an active andparticipative role in the whole intervention process. They are taught, informedand oriented with respect to the development of family relationships at thesame time that there is the recognition and strengthening of their knowledgeand their successful experiences. We conclude by reiterating the importance ofintegrating knowledge of diverse areas and of the families, in accordance withthe complexity of human development processes.

Keywords: family education, family intervention, special needs.