When a group of families and professionals sat down more than 10 years ago to summarize what leads to more effective care, it was an exciting but somewhat overwhelming task. However, since the articulation of the key elements of family-centered care in 1987, it has become clear that the most difficult challenge is to articulate how to make those principles of practice a reality. What types of interactions lead to the partnerships that are the critical cornerstones of family-centered care? How do we train professionals to develop collaborative skills? How do we support families to serve in advisory roles? How do we conduct research that documents the benefits of this approach? How do we create policies that support family-centered practice?
