Peer-reviewed article
Family-centred care models in early intervention: A systematic descriptive review of intervention characteristics and reported child and family outcomes.
Lucía Rodríguez Ampudia, Francisco José Sánchez Cuesta, Almudena Cerezo Zarzuelo, Alicia González González, Zaida Moreno Ramos et al. ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This systematic review examined family-centred care models used in early intervention programs for children aged 0-6 years. The review of 10 studies found that family outcomes, such as reduced parental stress and improved parent-child interaction, showed more consistent positive results than child outcomes. Child-related benefits were clearer in newborns and high-risk groups, particularly for weight gain and motor development. The review suggests that structured parental coaching strengthens the effectiveness of these interventions.
Key points
- Family outcomes showed more consistent favourable patterns than child outcomes, including reduced parental stress, improved parent-child interaction and greater parental competence
- Child outcomes were heterogeneous, with clearer effects in neonatal and high neurological risk groups in weight gain, behavioural regulation and motor development
- Structured parental coaching was associated with closer correspondence between family and child outcomes
- Family-centred early intervention is an emerging and heterogeneous field requiring more rigorous research
- Strengthening family capacity may represent an important pathway through which family-centred care influences child development
Limitations
The review does not specify which countries the included studies were conducted in, limiting understanding of geographic applicability. The heterogeneity of interventions and limited number of studies prevents strong conclusions about which specific intervention components are most effective.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Family-centred care (FCC) is increasingly recognized in early intervention (EI), but evidence linking specific models to child and family outcomes remains limited. This review aimed to synthesize FCC-based models implemented in EI, examining their characteristics, target populations, and reported outcomes. METHODS: Searches were conducted in May 2026 in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Dialnet and PEDro, without publication-year restrictions. Eligible studies included FCC-based interventions for children aged 0-6 years reporting child and family outcomes. Methodological quality and risk of bias were assessed using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale, the revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials (RoB 2), and Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) tools; certainty of evidence was assessed using Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE). RESULTS: Ten studies were included. Family outcomes showed more consistent favourable patterns than child outcomes, including reduced parental stress, improved parent-child interaction and greater parental competence (p < 0.05). Child-related findings were more heterogeneous, with clearer effects in neonatal and high neurological risk groups in weight gain, behavioural regulation and motor development (p < 0.05). Structured parental coaching was associated with closer correspondence between family and child outcomes. CONCLUSION: FCC-based EI remains an emerging and heterogeneous field. Strengthening family capacity may represent an important pathway through which FCC influences child development, although more rigorous research is needed to identify effective components and implementation contexts. IMPLICATIONS TO PRACTICE: Structured parental coaching may strengthen the effectiveness of family-centred early intervention for both children and families.
Findings the Hub has extracted
Each claim below is labelled by its type of design and links back to this report.
- Intervention
- Family-centred care models in early intervention, including structured parental coaching
- Population
- Children aged 0-6 years, including neonates and high neurological risk groups; their families
Key finding
Family outcomes showed reduced parental stress, improved parent-child interaction and greater parental competence (p < 0.05)