Article

Implementation of medical rehabilitation for children with severe disabilities,
arranged by the Social Insurance Institution of Finland, is based on
collaboration of the family with several professionals and organizations
providing the necessary services. Therefore, it sets special challenges for
service provision. Parents' experiences of shared agency and participation during
children's rehabilitation process were analyzed in relation to the following
research questions: what factors, describing the planning and implementation of
rehabilitation, were associated with (a) the parents' satisfaction with planning,
(b) the correspondence between the plans and the needs of the child, and (c) the
correspondence between the received rehabilitation and the needs and wishes of
the child and the parents. A questionnaire survey for the children's parents
(n=496) included items on rehabilitation planning and implementation of services.
The results were analyzed using cross-tabulations and logistic regression
analyses. Taking into account of the parents' and children's preferences in
rehabilitation and active participation of the rehabilitation counselor and the
therapist were positively associated with parents' satisfaction with planning and
the correspondence between the plan and the needs. The rehabilitation process was
considered as more successful if the information received was sufficient, the
parents were heard in all phases of the process, and the child was motivated to
participate. Several stakeholders have responsibilities in medical rehabilitation
for individuals with severe disabilities. Parents' experience of good
rehabilitation planning in healthcare requires shared agency; that is,
rehabilitation professionals listening to the family's preferences in decision
making. Parents' experience with a successful rehabilitation process is dependent
on information sharing, becoming heard, and collaboration in all phases of the
process.

Langue : ANGLAIS