THE EFFECTS AND PERCEPTIONS OF FAMILY INVOLVEMENT IN PROGRAM DECISIONS ABOUT FAMILY-CENTERED PRACTICES

This article describes the perceptions and effects of parent participa tion in a workshop designed to help professionals working in early int ervention programs for young children with disabilities become more fa mily-focused in their work. Two decision-making workshops were held, o ne in which parents were invited to attend along with professionals an d one attended only by professionals. Data from four sources-pre- and postworking ratings of current and desired practices, the verbal behav ior of participants during the workshop, surveys of participants' perc eptions, and an analysis of decisions made during the workshop-are use d to assess the effects and perceptions of consumer involvement in pro gram-level decisions. Results indicate that parent presence influenced the extent to which professionals perceived a need for change in prog ram practices. Parents and professionals who experienced parent presen ce were positive about the experience, and professionals who attended the workshop without parents felt strongly that parents should have be en there.