My visit to FIPP enlightened me to the concept of ‘family-centred care.’
In 2017, I travelled from London to America to spend one week with the team at the Family, Infant and Preschool Program (FIPP) in North Carolina. The visit was part of a month-long Churchill traveling fellowship to learn about family-centred service delivery models in the US. In the UK, therapy services for children aged 0-5 years old are typically delivered in the clinic setting with the therapist taking a lead role in the session.
My visit to FIPP enlightened me to the concept of ‘family-centred care.’ During my visit at FIPP, I observed how health professionals effectively used coaching to empower families to support their children to participate in daily routines. I observed the efficient manner in which FIPP structured team meetings to ensure large caseloads were discussed and team members were kept informed. I was impacted by how readily research was provided as a rationale for clinical decisions made by team members. I was impressed by how the team effectively supported each other to reflect and develop their practice.
It was a privilege to spend time with the passionate and enthusiastic team members at FIPP. Since my visit I was approached by a team leader in East London to implement the family-centred approach for children (aged 0-5 years old) with complex medical needs. We, as a team, pioneering the approach in East London, appreciate the on-going advice and support we receive from the team at FIPP. Thank you!
The tools and resources are very well designed and simple to administer and continue to be my dependable tool-kit as a fidelity coach and leader.
My personal experience as a participant and now graduate of the Early Intervention Fidelity Coach Institute was one of intense and deep learning and development, as both a practitioner and leader. It was a totally immersive experience right from the first hour, delving into the nuances of how evidence -based practices are demonstrated and how to effectively promote practitioner reflection on the impact of their work with children and families. The tools and resources are very well designed and simple to administer and continue to be my dependable tool-kit as a fidelity coach and leader. It was well worth travelling the 15,884 kms (Melbourne, Australia to Morganton, North Carolina). The impact of this opportunity has transformed Noah’s Ark’s approach to ensuring high quality services and resulted in significantly improved outcomes for children and families.