When it comes to pediatric nursing, you’re not only treating young patients – you’re also dealing with worried family members who play a very central role in the child’s life. Family-centred care (FCC) is so important, offering a comprehensive approach that places the family at the heart of care decisions and practices. By actively involving parents and caregivers in the decision-making process, FCC improves patient outcomes and family satisfaction.

Unlike traditional models, where healthcare professionals make most decisions with little-to-no input from families, FCC recognises the family’s role in a child’s life. Four core values guide the interactions between healthcare providers, patients and their families:

1. Respect: This means acknowledging and valuing each family’s unique cultural background, preferences and choices. Pediatric nurses create an environment where families feel recognised and respected as members of the care team.
2. Information sharing: Healthcare providers use open and honest communication to make sure families receive all relevant information about their child’s condition, treatment options, and progress. This allows parents and caregivers to make informed decisions.
3. Collaboration: Healthcare providers work closely with families to set goals, plan treatments, and adapt care routines as needed. This enables care plans to be more focused on the child’s individual needs.
4. Participation: Family-centred care recognises that families bring invaluable insights into the child’s preferences, behaviour and comfort. Participation creates a more inclusive and supportive environment for the child.

While traditional pediatric care models tend to prioritise the expertise of healthcare providers, FCC shifts this focus to a partnership model. In a traditional approach, parents may have limited involvement, with doctors and nurses making most care-related decisions. This model can leave families feeling uninformed and less engaged in the child’s care. FCC empowers families to become active participants and helps children feel safer, allowing them to better manage their emotions and remain more resilient during treatment.

Research on FCC programs in PICUs generally suggests benefits to patients, families, and staff. Family involvment included open visitation, family-centered rounding, family presence during invasive procedures, and family conferences.

Family-centred care is also associated with shorter hospital stays and faster recovery rates for pediatric patients. When families actively participate in caregiving tasks and decision-making, they provide continuity of care that helps the child heal.

Family-centred care (FCC) also benefits the families and caregivers involved by strengthening their confidence and trust in the healthcare system. By involving families in treatment discussions, educating them on care techniques, and answering their questions, FCC prepares parents to handle their child’s needs confidently outside the hospital. By learning specific skills during their child’s hospital stay, families feel more capable and ready to manage care, reducing dependency on healthcare providers for minor issues that might crop up down the track.

Within the healthcare team, nurses are the primary point of contact for patients and their families. They are often the first to engage with families, setting the tone for a supportive and welcoming environment. In this role, nurses advocate for families, ensuring their voices are heard in treatment decisions and that care plans consider each family’s unique preferences and circumstances.

Nurses have several key responsibilities in FCC:

• Educating families: Nurses act as educators, helping families understand their child’s condition, treatment options, and care techniques.
• Coordinating care: Nurses keep both healthcare professionals and family across all aspects of a child’s treatment to ensure a cohesive approach.
• Providing emotional support: Nurses also offer emotional support, recognising that families may feel overwhelmed, anxious, or uncertain.

To ensure family-centred care (FCC) is used successfully in pediatric nursing, healthcare systems in Australia must adopt strategies that support FCC at every level. Continuous professional development and specialised training are essential to equipping healthcare providers with the skills and knowledge needed to deliver effective FCC.

By encouraging collaboration between the family and all the different healthcare teams involved in a child’s care, a comprehensive care plan can be created that addresses the family’s preferences, concerns and goals. For instance, a pediatric nurse might work closely with a social worker to address a family’s emotional and financial concerns, while coordinating with a physical therapist to incorporate at-home exercises into the child’s recovery plan.

By prioritising respect, communication, collaboration, and participation, the FCC acknowledges the central role of families in a child’s healing journey and fosters a strong partnership between healthcare providers and caregivers. With continued commitment to FCC, healthcare providers can create a nurturing space where both children and their families feel respected, informed, and truly valued.