Team Around the Child (TAC) empowers parents and gives disabled children a better deal - in any country
Peter Limbrick writes:
Dear Parent,
Do you worry because the people helping your child do not talk to each other?
Do you feel they make decisions without involving you properly?
Do you have several plans for your child instead of a single unified ‘whole-child’ plan?
The TAC approach is designed to solve these problems. It was first written about in 2001 (see below) and there have been several books since. The approach was recently adopted by the Australian government:
‘there is a strong evidence base supporting the TAC approach as an effective way for a range of services to engage collaboratively and positively with families’
ECIA (2016) National Guidelines: Best Practice in Early Childhood Intervention. Sydney: Early Childhood Intervention Australia. p 15
There might or might not be a Team Around the Child system where you live. No matter. You can still tell the people who are most closely involved with your baby or child that you want a TAC meeting. Perhaps there is one professional you get on well with who can help you get the meeting organised. The meeting can be at your house or in another place you feel comfortable in. You or the professional you trust can chair the meeting. You can invite a friend or the child’s grandparent – it is up to you.
You are the most important person at the TAC meeting. What you say is as important as what anyone else says. The aim is for everyone to respect each other and to understand the need to work together for the child.
There is nothing complicated about what the TAC meeting does:
The three or four people present (it is best to keep the meeting small) share with each other what they are working on. This includes you.
Contradictions or different views are aired and sorted out.
You are listened to while you explain what you would like to have in the unified plan.
A unified plan is agreed.
The plan is written up and passed to all the people who need to see it.
When TAC is working well, it becomes the strongest influence in planning support for the child and family.
Contact me if you wish.
Peter Limbrick
TAC
Interconnections
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Team Around the Child: Multi-Agency Service Co-ordination for Children with Complex Needs and their Families. By Peter Limbrick - http://www.tacinterconnections.com/index.php/bookshop/teambook
More books: http://www.tacinterconnections.com/index.php/bookshop
