Family-Centered Practice: How Clinicians Use Parent-Child Groups to Engage Parents in Child Development
In the realm of pediatric therapy, the integration of family-centered practice has emerged as a transformative approach that empowers families and enhances the developmental outcomes for children. Occupational therapists, speech and language pathologists, and physical therapists are increasingly embracing play groups as a medium to involve parents actively in their child’s therapy.
These collaborative, play-based sessions not only promote developmental milestones but also strengthen the parent-child bond, creating a supportive and enriching environment for all. This blog post explores how clinicians are championing family-centered care through innovative play group practices.
The shift towards family-centered practice marks a significant evolution in pediatric therapy, where the family unit is recognized as a pivotal partner in a child’s development. Clinicians such as occupational therapists, speech and language pathologists, and physical therapists are at the forefront of this movement, utilizing play groups as a practical and engaging tool to foster parent involvement.
These playgroups provide a unique platform where parents can actively participate in therapeutic activities. They learn effective strategies to support their child’s growth, and build stronger connections through shared play.
By embracing a family-centered approach, clinicians are not only enhancing the therapeutic outcomes for children. They are also empowering parents to play an active role in their child’s developmental journey.
Laura Ramos AKA Rock With Mama shares her story with us:
“I’m a Physical Therapist Assistant and I own Rock With Mama. I have been teaching early childhood, family-centred ‘mommy and me’ classes for parents and little ones, for eight years. I’m a mom of three and as a mom, therapist and early childhood educator – I believe in the power of play! My goal is to create a safe space where moms can feel supported and empowered. Socialization for the little ones – but also for the moms! I offer free playgroups and postpartum support groups aside from my mommy and me enrichment classes in the North Texas area.”
“I’m Nicole Bazinet of BWell Baby and I have been a pediatric occupational therapist for fifteen years, I’m also a certified neonatal therapist and breastfeeding specialist. I lead enrichment classes for infants and toddlers in the Raleigh, NC community. The classes focus on motor development, sensory play and building community between families. The goal of the family-focused groups is to provide parents with access to evidence-based information on infant development that can also be individualized – I want to break down the barriers between parents and therapy professionals. My classes are open to anyone in the community, and are limited to eight infants in order to really provide individualized attention.”
At Bouncing Beans Boston, children learn through family-centered play with Allison Osipow, a pediatric OT. Allison was quarantined with three kids under three during the pandemic, which left her plentiful time to brainstorm kid-friendly activities. Her main desire was for other families to join in the play. Subsequently, Bouncing Beans was born.
“Bouncing Beans facilitates developmental playgroups where children and caregivers can learn and grow. Playgroups provide the opportunity for children to practice skills, connect with others, and to have fun in a new environment. Our playgroups are designed by a pediatric occupational therapist. In addition to providing a consistent routine, groups may include movement-based activities, art, and sensory play. General tips to build upon developmental skills are shared throughout the session. Groups are for children ages birth to three years, with a caregiver. Families are given the freedom to play without the setup or cleanup, and we get messy! Adults get ideas for how to carry over play strategies at home.”
A Different Tune – Bangalore, Karnataka, India
‘A Different Tune‘ is a specialized education center in India catering primarily to families and children with diverse special needs such as ASD, LD, GDD, ID, Down Syndrome, anxiety, and social skill deficits. In addition to providing tailored support for children, we offer parent training sessions to equip families with effective strategies. Our center operates individualized one-on-one sessions throughout the week to ensure each child receives personalized attention, supplemented by a weekly group session. Through engaging activities, we empower children to develop essential skills such as communication, socialization, problem-solving, and critical thinking while fostering self-esteem and confidence through play-based approaches.
A cornerstone of our program is the Sensory Symphony workshops, designed to provide children and parents with enriching sensory experiences. These workshops not only create enjoyable moments for the children but also offer parents valuable insights into effective interaction techniques and the profound impact of play in child development. At ‘A Different Tune‘, we firmly believe that play is not just a pastime but a crucial aspect of a child’s learning journey.
Kristin Bergholtz and Stacia Paganelli co-founded ‘Growing Together’ groups in 2023:
“We know that relationships and experiences in the first three years of a child’s life are critical to their development. The Growing Together classes are a way to come together to support every aspect of a family’s health, both through learning experiences for the child AND the parent/caregiver. These play groups are small-group experiences for infants/toddlers (ages 2 months to three years of age). Their parent/caregiver learns to focus on play and supportive interactions for all. Each Growing Together group has two facilitators who are experienced pediatric therapists (physical, occupational, or speech) and also happen to be mothers themselves. We are all passionate about sharing our knowledge and experiences to help other parents navigate the challenges and celebrate the joys of life with young children. Families will sign up for 6 week sessions depending on the age of their child. They can choose to do multiple 6 week sessions, moving onto groups based on the age of their child.”
Parent/Child Groups – Niagara, NY
“My name is Annabelle Guercio and I have been running a Parent/Child Group for over a year now. It is a playgroup for children but also a parent group, assisting parents who struggle with individualized differences in their children and themselves. We learn to follow the child’s lead, growing together while we discuss how to work through the areas each parent is struggling in. Over 30 families have taken part since this family-centered group was launched, each session no more than five families at a time. Parent feedback and what has worked for them is very helpful in the group setting, we learn to connect and understand instead of “just being” with our kids.”
*Note: The individuals and group stories featured in this blog post were taken from applications to the Play Promoter Prize 2024: https://precisioncpd.com/award/
