Family-centred developmental care and goal setting — formative SAQs

SAQ 1 (10 marks)

Parents of a 5-year-old with developmental disability attend clinic. Six services each left a different therapy homework list. The family is exhausted. [1]

1. Define patient- and family-centred care in one sentence and name its core elements. (3) [1]
2. Use the F-words to propose a balanced goal set (name all six words and give one example goal domain). (3) [11]
3. Outline a co-production plan for the next review, including how many goals you will keep. (4) [1] [5]

Model answer

PFCC is care based on partnership with child and family: dignity/respect, information sharing, participation and collaboration — not mere presence. [1]

F-words: Function, Family, Fitness, Fun, Friends, Future. Example: participation goal under Friends/Fun (join weekly playgroup) alongside one Function goal, not six competing impairment drills. [11]

Listen to priorities; retire conflicting homework; co-write 2–4 SMART goals; assign one key contact; consider GAS/COPM if tracking individualised attainment; review date in writing; escalate system load if services remain fragmented. [1] [5]

SAQ 2 (10 marks)

Staff label a family “non-compliant” after missed appointments. Housing is unstable and transport is limited. [13]

1. Why might this label be clinically unsafe? (3) [13] [1]
2. What structural questions will you ask? (3) [13]
3. When would you still escalate safeguarding? (4) [1]

Model answer

The label can hide system barriers and mismatched goals, damage trust, and stop problem-solving. Structural delivery problems shape parents’ experience of care. [13] [1]

Ask about transport, costs, appointment density, conflicting advice, language needs, housing, work, childcare for siblings, and whether goals matter to the family. [13]

Escalate safeguarding if the child is unsafe, help is refused without reason when available, or intentional harm/neglect is evident — not solely because of poverty-related missed visits. [1]