Family Engagement in Action: An evaluation of a peer navigation team in community-based paediatric rehabilitation&nbsp;
Authors: Belanger Andrea , Lim Michelle , Cheyne1 Avori , Eickmeier Taryn , Sexton Brad , Neufeld Annette , Nemisz Jacki , Alexander-Arias Clare , Omer Fadia , Rambajue1 Sujay 
Published: January 2024

Introduction: Grandview Kids is a not-for-profit children’s treatment centre that supports nearly 17,000 children and youth with physical, communication and developmental needs in Ontario, Canada. An integral part of the interdisciplinary and family-centred approach is the inclusion of peer navigation through the Family Engagement Team (FET). For a decade, the FET has grown to eight Peer Navigators who are parents of Grandview clients or were a Grandview client as a child. To date, the FET has not undergone a formal evaluation to assess its strengths and identify areas of improvement.

Aims, objectives, theory or methods: This oral presentation aims to highlight the outcomes of a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) process evaluation of the Grandview Kids’ FET. The project embodied a participatory utilization-focused evaluation, which included co-designing the evaluation questions and intended outcomes alongside multiple stakeholders within the organization. Methods were carefully selected based on the scope of the project. A series of group consultations with Peer Navigators and one-on-one interviews with the organization’s senior leaders produced qualitative data. A digital whiteboard and verbatim transcripts aided in the development of a SWOT analysis: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

Highlights or results or key findings: Key results are presented following a SWOT framework. Strengths included leadership support/commitment? to grow the FET programs, lived experience of Peer Navigators, and supportive interdisciplinary teammates. Weaknesses included feelings of responsibility to support/assist families above and beyond the scope of work, a lack of workplace policies across disciplines in relation to the FET, and a lack of program monitoring. Opportunities included support for peer navigation to be embedded into government initiatives and embracing online technology to broaden the reach of family-centred care and family voice as a pillar of the organization’s values. Threats included unclear roles and shared responsibilities across disciplines, risk of unstable staffing, limited access to client health record information, and risk of changes to government funding programs that impact successful family engagement. Interestingly, comments on program supports and impedances were shared among Peer Navigators as well as senior leaders.

 

Conclusions: Peer Navigators are highly valued members of the Grandview Kids’ interdisciplinary team; however, more work is required to ensure the effective integration of health and social care. Formal recommendations are made at the conclusion of this process evaluation, which has broad applicability to hospital and community-based care settings.

Implications for applicability/transferability, sustainability, and limitations: The Family Engagement Team at Grandview Kids has surpassed 10 years of service to the families of the Durham Region. Key lessons learned about the integration of family voice passed the point of consultation are applicable to all healthcare settings and will be shared in this presentation.