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Hello! Welcome to the Friends of Tennessee's Babies
with Special Needs website.
We're so glad that you have joined us.
My name is Robin.
Since we are lucky enough
to work alongside families every day, it is important
that we understand about Family Systems.
This important research is being conducted by Ann Turnbull
at the University of Kansas.
This work is based on the premise that we respect
that all families are different.
The Family Systems Approach focuses on the entire family
and is composed of four components:
Family Characteristics, Family Interactions, Family Functions
and Family Life-cycle.
Let's take a look at Family Characteristics.
Families come in different sizes and can be made up of teen moms,
grandparents, single dads, foster parents
and many other combinations.
They have different religious and cultural beliefs
which can influence a family's views
on their child's disability.
Families can experience poverty, addictions and abuse.
The Family Systems Approach says that we will respect
that all families are different
and that the same things will not work for all families.
Family Characteristics help us to understand that we need
to honor the uniqueness of each family.
Next, let's talk about Family Interactions.
This refers to all the different relationships within families.
Having a child with a disability sends ripples throughout
the family.
If possible, grandparents need to understand the disability
because their support can be critical for the family.
Family interactions involve marital relationships,
sibling relationships which in the family life-cycle,
can be the longest relationship with the child
with the disability over a lifetime, interactions
with friends and neighbors and of course, the relationship
between the parent and the child.
The Family Systems Approach says
that all relationships are important and that the best way
to support a child with a disability is to make sure
that all these relationships are vibrant.
It's also critical that, if possible,
the child with the disability does not only take from,
but gives back to relationships.
Family Function begins by looking
at a family's daily life.
Economics, daily care, recreation, socialization,
self-definition, affection
and education are all functions of a family system.
As an Early Interventionist who works with children
and families this is an area
that we can impact significantly.
Each time that a professional intervenes
with a family they have the ability
to affect family function.
Because education is our main focus,
we sometimes give the impression to families
that it is the most important function of the family.
We must remember that it is only one of seven family functions
and if we are asking a parent to focus
on education then they must take away time
from other functions of the family.
That is another reason to integrate educational focus
into the other functions
of the family throughout the everyday routine.
Family Life-cycle refers to the changing needs of families
as they go through life's various stages.
The needs of a family with a very young child
with a disability are very different than their needs
when the child is a teen or adult.
Interventionists can help the family look ahead
by planning realistic objectives in terms
of a child's future needs.
A great example of this is helping families look
at the transition process to services
as the child approaches their third birthday.
We need to remember that families will be
with their child for a long, long time.
Ann Turnbull suggests that we need to help them look
at the whole marathon and help them build strategies
to not burn out or give up.
Remember that a marathon runner does not sprint the first five
or six miles of the marathon and expect to make it to the end.
Sometimes as Early Interventionists we encourage
the family to sprint because we know that we are done
when the child turns three, but the family's time
with that child is just beginning.
So the more we can help families understand resilience,
the more we are going to help them in the long run.
As you reflect on the information
that I have shared today, consider trying the following:
identify one aspect of the Family Systems Approach
that you are currently using.
What is one aspect that you would like to incorporate
into your work with families?
Think about how and when you will do that.
Best of luck as you use your knowledge of family systems
to enhance the effectiveness of your home visits.
Thank you for playing such an important role
in the lives of our babies.
Because remember, babies can't wait.