27/11/2025
This is 💯 spot on.
SHARING FROM ANOTHER FB PAGE.
I’ve been sitting with this for a while…
In our industry, everyone loves to say “person centred.”
But let’s be real — when someone needs support, it’s never just about one person.
It’s the whole family carrying years of stress, advocacy, sleepless nights, and doing whatever they can just to keep things moving.
We walk in for one shift.
They live this 24/7.
That’s why I say we need to be family centred.
Because supporting someone properly means understanding the people who’ve been holding everything together long before we showed up.
Here’s what that actually looks like:
Seeing the whole picture, not just the shift
You’re not walking into a blank canvas. You’re walking into routines built out of survival, behaviours tied to history, and families doing their absolute best. Take the time to understand before you judge.
Understanding the story behind Family
Most families carry things you’ll never see — system fatigue, trauma from being let down by providers, years of fighting for the basics. When you get this, your whole approach changes. You step in with respect, not assumptions.
Minimising the trauma they’ve already lived through
We don’t get to add to their load. We’re meant to lighten it.
Turn up. Communicate. Be consistent. Don’t make families repeat themselves. Little things matter — because for them, those “little things” are the difference between coping and breaking.
Building trust through actions, not buzzwords
Trust isn’t given, it’s earned.
Families have heard every promise under the sun.
They’re not looking for perfect — they’re looking for reliable.
Do what you say. Own your mistakes. Show up the same way every time.
Supporting the whole unit, not just the individual
You can’t support one person properly if the whole environment around them is stressed, exhausted, or running on fumes. When you give the family space to breathe, everything else improves. It’s all connected.
And I mean this sincerely — being invited into a family’s world is one of the biggest privileges we get in this job.
When a family lets us in, they’re trusting us with the person who means the most to them in the world.
That’s not small. That’s not “just a job.”
That’s something sacred.
To every family that lets us be part of your village: thank you.
We see how hard you love.
We see the pressure you carry.
We see how much you’ve already given.
We’re not here to take over.
We’re not here to judge.
We’re here to walk beside you — steadily, respectfully, and with genuine care.
That’s what family-centred support really is. 💙
