Parent–Professional Partnerships: A valuable context for addressing challenging behaviours

Abstract

Partnerships between professionals and parents of children with disabilities can be valuable ingredients in efforts to design and implement strategies of intervention and support. In this article, we provide a rationale in support of parent–professional partnerships and describe research and programmes that exemplify such partnership practices. We also describe approaches for facilitating the development of partnerships and a framework in which partnerships are placed at the optimal end of a continuum of parent involvement and parent support.

Keywords:

• Challenging behaviours
• Parent involvement
• Parents

Acknowledgements

Preparation of this research was supported by Grant No. H324Z010001, the Center for Evidence‐based Practice: Young Children with Challenging Behavior, funded by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), and by Research Grant No. 43240020040, also funded by OSEP. No endorsement by the supporting agencies should be inferred.