Why a team? Raising children is
important, rewarding, hard work. Parents need partners - a team! (Your team
might meet or could be a "virtual team.")
1. Commit yourself to work for excellent outcomes
for your children.
2. Develop good working relationships with everybody
who is key in your children's lives.
3. Enlist them! Tell them how important they are to
your children's health and well-being. Let them know what you hope and need.
4. Respect the knowledge, skills, experience, and
qualities each of these partners brings.
5. Build trust over time; it's fundamental to
relationships that matter.
6. Talk openly, respectfully, and constructively.
Consider what parts of your life/ your children's lives you want to keep
private.
7. Ensure that your goals and values are known. Your
background, culture, and interests are important.
8. When things are going well - cheer! Let others on your
team know the good news.
9. Do your best to work out differences and
problems. Expect some ups and downs in life and in relationships. Get
help if needed to settle issues.
10. Be there as a partner for others - for all children! Others may need you
on their team.
Adapted from: Bishop et al
(1993). Family/ Professional Collaboration for Children with Special
Health Care Needs and their Families. The Family/ Professional
Collaboration Project
Your Team.
Partnerships can be formal or informal, short term or lifelong.
Partnerships grow and change, as your needs, interests, and
circumstances do.
What can your team do? Different team members do very different things.
Some are key players with special skills, some cheer, some coach,
some pinch hit. Some are there every day, others just from time to time.
Some partners change over time. Your job is to build your team in a
way
that makes sense for you and your family.
Who are possible players are on your team?
-Family and friends - people who care about you and your children!
-Doctors, nurses, dentists and other health care workers - through your
health plan, your Head Start program or school, at your job.
-Teachers and childcare workers.
- Organizations you're part of that offer partnering information and
support.
-Neighbors and others in your community.
-People you feel good talking with about your children.
-Don't forget. . . children themselves!
Partners. Women's and Children's Health
Policy Center. Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (WCHPC) is a
university- based research center that develops methods and tools for health
system assessment and analysis, and publishes policy research and technical
resource materials to support maternal and child health practice and policy
activities.