Informing families through e-learning
06 Jul 2010
by: Margaret Snell
Professionals in Ireland faced with the difficult task of informing families that their child has a disability now have a range of tools and materials to help them.
An e-learning module has been developed by Aurion Learning for health professionals charged with informing families that their child has a disability. It starts by examining how important good practice is to families, goes on to outline the national best practice guidelines and then asks learners to assess their current abilities.
Noleen Turner, marketing officer, Aurion Learning told e.learning age: “The Informing Families programme will be rolled out across the health service in the Republic of Ireland however the e-learning programme was developed by us in Northern Ireland. It is a great example of best practice.”
The Informing Families Project is designed to support best practice at the time of a child's diagnosis with a disability. The tools include the National Federation of Voluntary Bodies national guidelines on the best way to communicate the news of a disability to the child’s family.
As well as the guidelines a website (www.informingfamilies.ie) has been developed that contains practical information and advice for both health professionals and families. Alison Harnett, the Federation’s Project Coordinator said: "Breaking news of a child's disability can cause a huge amount of distress for families, with some remembering 20 years later how they were first told. Doctors used to believe that giving the worst-case scenario was the best thing to do. We want them to give positive, realistic messages with hope.
”We are not saying that they should give a sugar -coated message. We want the truth to be told but do not want professionals to feel they have to give the worst-case scenario. We want families to have a positive and realistic understanding that people with disabilities live very full lives."
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