Experiences versus expectations for service provision for children with complex medical conditions : implications for educational psychologists

• Main Author: Bunn, Helena Odine
• Published: University of East London 2010
• Subjects: 150
• Online Access: http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.536612

This research had two main purposes, to build up a theoretical model of the experiences and expectations of children with CMC and their parents and also to understand the implications of these findings. The key conclusions arising from this study are around the importance both individual systems and the interaction of those systems around the child can have a positive or negative influence on future development. Adults generally change emotional and psychological state as time goes by and they move through stages as they come to terms with the impact on their children's and their own lives. The interaction of these findings has serious implications for service provision in a practical sense, specifically in regard to the educational system, but also in wider terms, whereby the 'child centred approach', followed to the exclusion of other systems, could actually turn out to be harmful as the needs of the parent could be ignored. In explanation, solely focussing on the needs of the child, especially the physical needs, risks excluding thought around the needs of the parent, who may not be able to adopt the role that is assumed by wider society and by service providers. This approach in itself then negatively impacts on the child's development. Support for the parent, in addition to direct support for the child, could truly be argued as helping the child. A parent with adequate coping mechanisms seems more likely to be able to advocate and support the child effectively. The practical implications drawn from the research are to ensure that organisational support is inclusive of the parents, and is also directed at their needs around information and emotional support. In regards to the practice of the educational psychologist, this includes observation of wider systems, information brokering, expectation management and being a gatekeeper to specialised services.