When parenting is a longer road than anticipated: a journey examining parents’ experience and engagement at a therapeutic day school

ABSTRACT

This study explored the issues around parents’ engagement in services at a therapeutic day school. The study site is located within an urban, Midwestern medical center in the United States (US) serving thirty-three students in grades kindergarten through 8th with emotional, social and behavioral disabilities. Parents are expected to be active participants in their child’s treatment and family sessions. However, there are instances where parental engagement is poor. To explore the dynamics underlying engagement, the research team conducted semi-structured interviews with parents of children enrolled in the day school. All parents and guardians with a child enrolled at the day school were eligible to participate (N = 32). All sessions were recorded, transcribed and the data analyzed in line with qualitative descriptive methods. Five overarching themes emerged from the data: the “long road” to a therapeutic school, parent’s view of their role, service utilization and engagement, discerning what parents value, and the journey continues. With a greater sense of parents’ perspective on treatment and expectation for involvement, the clinical staff plan on shaping strategies that improve parent engagement and ultimately student outcomes.

KEYWORDS:

• Adolescence
• pediatrics social work
• mental health
• family therapy
• engagement

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest to report.

Ethical approval

All authors complied with the APA ethical standards and the study was approved by the Rush University Medical Center Review Board.

Notes

1. Heretofore the use of the terms parents is used to be inclusive of parents and guardians unless specified to a particular individual.