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Convention of hope - communicating positive, realistic messages to families at the time of a child's diagnosis with disabilities
- Authors:
- HARNETT Alison, TIERNEY Edel, GUERIN Suzanne
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 37(4), December 2009, pp.257-264.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
This study, as part of a larger study to develop best practice recommendations for informing families of their child's disabilities, researched the elements of best practice required when communicating this news to families. Tracing the convergence between these practice recommendations and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, in particular with regard to the provision of positive, realistic and hopeful communication, this study employed a mixed methodology involving 22 focus groups and a questionnaire survey of 1588 professionals and 584 families. Whilst the study found that the large majority of parents and professionals supported the recommendation of providing families with positive, realistic and hopeful messages at the time of diagnosis, less than half of the parents surveyed actually reported receiving communication of this type, indicating that some professionals may struggle with the fear of providing false hope, or a fear of litigation and a lack of training. However, this research also identified positive and hopeful messages that are not in conflict with providing honest and realistic communication including: acknowledging the dignity and worth of the child as an individual; indicating that there is help available for parents; and informing families about the spectrum of possible outcomes for their child rather than the worst case scenario. This provision of appropriate positive, realistic messages and hope is aligned with the principles of the UN Convention.