How can service providers develop trust with parents of children with disabilities?

Previously, we posted a tipsheet on parents partnering with schools. But it takes two to tango, so here is another tipsheet--this time for professionals.

Parental involvement in their child’s intervention is a key factor in producing positive child developmental outcomes. A key to encouraging parental involvement is a trusting relationship between parents and their child’s service providers. Listed below are some steps, for service providers to follow to build trust between parents and themselves.

Tips

1. Professionals can convince parents of their competence by constantly learning new information and sharing this new knowledge with parents.

2. Professionals need to demonstrate honesty to parents by admitting “I don’t know” about a certain topic (but then also know where to find more information about the topic and share that information source with parents).

3. Trust implies dependability. Professionals can demonstrate dependability by consistently and promptly returning calls, by avoiding promises that may not be kept, and by always following through on a query or request.

4. Parents have said that a critical aspect of trustworthiness in professionals is their belief that their child will be safe when in the care of the professional. This includes not only safety from possible physical danger, but also safety from humiliation, teasing, or other emotional harm. Professionals can demonstrate this kind of trustworthiness by explaining or showing parents the steps taken to ensure their child’s safety, by insisting that peers treat each other with dignity, and by providing procedures for ensuring the privacy and dignity of the child will be protected.

5. Another critical aspect of trust is the preservation of privacy and confidentiality concerning issues related to the family and child. Professionals can demonstrate this kind of trustworthiness by avoiding discussions about other families or children in the presence of the parent, by consistently following written procedures and asking permission before sharing information with another professional or agency, and by maintaining confidentiality strictly and consistently with all children and families in the professionals’ care.

6. By frequently updating parents, professionals can demonstrate that the child is making progress.

7. Professionals need to demonstrate to parents that they are optimistic but not unrealistic about their child’s progress. In other words, professionals need to set high standards for children but also realize that achieving those standards may not be easy.