Family Support and Education

Family-Driven Care The term "family-driven care" can be thought of as a road trip. Picture a comfortable car or minivan filled with good traveling companions. The main passenger is a young child. The driver is the child's family. The rest of the passengers have been invited along because they know a lot about child development, education, health, family support, mental health, literacy, housing, employment, and other things the family needs to have a good quality of life. The family knows where they want to go, but need help choosing a good route and getting their safely. The traveling companions share what they know and discuss all the options together with the driver. Then the family takes the wheel and drives the car along the chosen route. The driver gets help along the way if it is needed. At the end of the trip, everyone celebrates their successes together.
Adapted from the Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health (2005)

Why Involve Families?
• Families know their child better than any one else.
• Families are a constant in the child's life-across time and systems.
• Family ownership is essential for a plan or intervention to be fully implemented.

Family experience with the system (both good and bad) should be the basis for planning new services and systems of care.