Measuring processes of caregiving to physically disabled children and their families. I: Identifying relevant components of care.

This study was undertaken to determine the relative importance of components of caregiving for children with developmental disabilities. Health-care professionals and parents rated the importance and relative priority of 22 aspects of caregiving. Among the seven highest-ranked aspects of care, both parents and professionals identified Parent involvement, Education/information, Treatment, Accessible/available care and Co-ordination. Parents also ranked Continuity/consistency and Family-centred care as being particularly important to them. The components' relevance to the organization of services for children with disabilities and their application to further studies of processes of caregiving are discussed.