Every parent matters: The value of a parent-centric approach to supporting parenting occupations and roles

Parenting is an important and valued occupational role. Occupational science conceptualises parenting as ‘co-occupation’ – a ‘dance between the occupations of one individual and another that sequentially shapes the occupations of both persons’. Parenting practices impact both the individual child and communities at large, as parents are tasked with preparing children to contribute positively to society. Despite this, occupational therapy practice as it relates to parenting is poorly understood and is often confined to a child-centric approach, with the child as the focus of intervention and the parent viewed as a partner in therapy or a critical part of the child’s ecological ‘context’. This approach is appropriate in paediatric practice but allows limited recognition of the importance of parenting as a distinct role and occupation. This is significant because many parents experience difficulties and disparities in performing parenting occupations and roles and would like occupational therapists to address these concerns. The purpose of this paper is to raise awareness of the potential of a parent-centric approach to parenting in occupational therapy and to identify key challenges and opportunities for the profession when working with parents.