Family Leadership

Families who take on roles or activities will ultimately have direct and meaningful input into, influence on, and change systems, policies, programs, and practices affecting services or community life for children and their families. Family members become partners and allies in order to bring their expertise to contribute to the problem solving process. Family involvement is to perceive family members as part of a team. What is key in this definition is that professionals are willing to partner with parents to relinquish their expert role without relinquishing the contributions of their expertise.