The Importance of Empowering Parents and Guardians

Overview  

Empowering parents and guardians is beneficial for creating and sustaining confidence in their skills, which in turn creates better parent-child relationships and aids in their child’s progression in different forms of therapy.

Parents and guardians who feel empowered in their capabilities and involvement with their children and their services often experience positive outcomes. When parents feel confident in their role, they are more likely to engage actively in their child’s daily care, which often leads to better monitoring and management of the child’s symptoms. Increased involvement may also translate to high-quality participation in making decisions regarding the child’s care and overall well-being by collaborating with their care professionals. Parental empowerment also boosts parents’ and guardians’ advocacy efforts, as they feel more confident and capable of standing up for their child’s rights and ensuring they receive the necessary support and services. 

Furthermore, feeling empowered enhances a parent’s and guardian’s ability to engage in their own child’s care. This empowerment may help parents and guardians to share personal experiences, provide support to other individuals in a  similar situation, and even advocate for systemic changes. Ultimately, this sense of empowerment creates a more collaborative and effective approach to addressing the child’s needs, benefiting the child’s growth and development as well as strengthening the overall family dynamic. (Ashcraft et al., 2018)

               

Resources for Parents and Guardians

Parent Helping Parents Organization:

• This organization offers a variety of support groups for parents, guardians and families. They also offer free informational resources for parenting support and several situations (i.e., navigating the foster care system and Department of Children and Families). 

Neurodiversity Parenting Support Group (Ann Arbor):

• This low-cost parent and guardian support group is located in Ann Arbor and aims to support parents and guardians caring for neurodivergent children. This support group is run by Michelle Avery Ferguson, LMSW who states she is “committed to helping kids, adults and families experience greater enjoyment in their relationships and increased well-being and resilience at home, school, work and play.” This support group also accepts the following insurances: BCBS, Tricare, and out-of-network providers. 

See Me Neurodiverse:

• This organization offers virtual support groups for parents and guardians with neurodivergent children. Although located in Minnesota, they offer community outings, additional informational resources, and peer support that can be accessed from the comfort of your own home. 

Department of Education:

• The Department of Education offers many informational resources on parent engagement, social emotional learning, health resources, learning at home, and community engagement centers. In addition, this resource offers access to grants and funding to support families and students. 

Parental Advice and Clinical Interventions

Parents and guardians of neurodivergent children often experience feelings of isolation and may struggle to find the right support, both for their children and themselves. While there are a variety of services for parent support, it’s crucial to acknowledge the challenges of parenting, including the emotional and physical strain it places on many caregivers. As clinicians, it’s essential to validate these experiences and empower parents, while fostering a positive and supportive therapeutic relationship.

If you’re interested in exploring parent and guardian support services such as Parent Management Training (PMT) and Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE), would like to schedule a consultation for yourself or your child, or inquire about individual treatment or evaluation, please reach out to Sunfield Center via phone at (734) 222-9277 or visit https://sunfieldcenter.com/contact-us/ to request an appointment.

References

Ashcraft, L. E., Asato, M., Houtrow, A. J., Kavalieratos, D., Miller, E., & Ray, K. N. (2018). Parent empowerment in pediatric healthcare settings: A systematic review of observational studies. The Patient – Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, 12(2). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40271-018-0336-2 

Damen, H., Scholte, R. H. J., Vermulst, A. A., van Steensel, P., & Veerman, J. W. (2021). Parental empowerment as a buffer between parental stress and child behavioral problems after family treatment. Children and Youth Services Review, 124, 105982. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2021.105982  

Parents Helping Parents. (n.d.). Parents Helping Parents. https://parentshelpingparents.org/

Positive Parenting. (n.d.). ZERO to THREE. https://www.zerotothree.org/resources/positive-parenting/ 

Resources for Families. (2024). U.S. Department of Education. https://www.ed.gov/birth-to-grade-12-education/resources-families 

Vance, A. J., & Brandon, D. H. (2017). Delineating Among Parenting Confidence, Parenting Self-Efficacy, and Competence. Advances in Nursing Science, 40(4), E18–E37. https://doi.org/10.1097/ans.0000000000000179