Attendant care in families

Working with families

 Families can be defined as those people who are:

  • family related by birth
  • the family gained through marriage or agreement
  • family of choice and friends (not related biologically or by marriage)

There are many types of family

Families may include nuclear, step, or blended, and same sex arrangements.
Family members may be children, parents, single parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, foster parents, adoptive parents, step parents, and couples without children.
Families may span two, three or even four generations.

  • Two parents no children
  • Two parents and young children
  • One parent and children
  • One or two parents and adult child/ren
  • Foster parents and foster children
  • Adoptive parent and adopted child
  • Blended family and step children
  • Families including aunts or uncles
  • Grandparents, parents and children
  • Parents and children and grandparents
  • Same sex couple

 People with a ABI or SCI are part of families.

Many people with ABI or SCI are living with their families.
All family members affect each other.

ABI or SCI impacts on the whole family

A family member with an ABI or SCI impacts on the whole family.

Support provided by families

Families provide support to each other including:

  • Emotional support
  • Practical support
  • Networking
  • Social and financial support.

Families can provide additional support to the person with the ABI/SCI.
They can also provide support to service providers.

Principles for working with families

Families with a member with an ABI or SCI can have many people working with them. All members of the team, including attendant care service providers and attendant care workers need to work to the following principles. Exactly how these principles are implemented will depend on the role of each person in the team.

1. Partnering with families

Working together with families in partnership – collaboration

2. Being “whole of family” minded

Viewing the family as a whole system. Understanding that any change for one family member will affect every other family member in some way

3. Understanding family reactions

Being able to put oneself in the shoes of the family members and make sense off their reactions, such as confusion and fear, distress and anger

4. Treating families with respect

Recognising different beliefs family members may hold because of culture, religion or social background, and meeting their various needs without judgment

5. Empowering families using a strengths-based approach

Focusing on the strengths and abilities of family members, rather than their problems and weaknesses

Good attendant care looks like

When these principles are applied by Attendant Care Providers and Workers good attendant care looks like:

  • The service provider keeps the family informed (with the client’s permission).
  • The service provider understands and takes into account how the work with the client is impacting on other family members.
  • The service provider works with the family’s strengths.
  • The worker understands the emotional journey the family members have been through.
  • The worker treats all family members with respect.
  • The worker is aware of the impact their presence is having on other family members.

Signs of things not going well

  • Communication break downs.
  • The worker is not aware of the impact their presence is having on other family members.
  • The worker ignores other family members.