Life Course Perspective for Families of Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs

This webpage introduces the life course perspective as a framework for understanding families with children and youth who have special health care needs. Rather than viewing health events as isolated incidents, this approach recognizes that a child’s experience unfolds within the broader, ongoing life trajectories of all family members. The perspective emphasizes that when a child with special health care needs joins a family, their story begins within an existing family context that shapes their experience, while simultaneously reshaping the entire family’s life trajectory. This holistic view is presented as essential for providing culturally competent, family-centered care that considers the interconnected nature of family members’ life courses rather than treating the child’s needs in isolation.

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