Nurturing Success – Family-Centered Approaches to Feeding Challenges FA2

Age Group Addressed:
All age groups, Birth to Age 3, Birth through Age 5, Birth through Age 8, Age 3 through 5, Age 5 through 8, Adults

Audience:
Parents, Foster Parents, Relative Care Givers, Administrators, Therapists, Social Worker, Healthcare Staff, Interested Professionals, Trainers, Adult Educators

Core Competency Area:
Health, Safety, and Nutrition

Skill Level:
Fundamental

Presentation Outcomes:
This presentation centers on a family-centered approach to feeding therapy, which inherently respects and adapts to each family's unique cultural, linguistic, and socioeconomic background. By prioritizing trust, collaboration, and empowerment, the session will provide strategies that help professionals work with diverse families, recognizing that feeding is deeply tied to culture, tradition, and family values. The session will also address the importance of culturally responsive communication, supporting caregivers in their native language when possible, and incorporating traditional foods and feeding practices into therapy. Additionally, discussions will include considerations for children with disabilities, neurodivergent eating patterns, and families with diverse structures, ensuring that all children and their caregivers feel seen, supported, and respected in their feeding journeys.

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify key principles of family-centered feeding therapy and how they supportsustainable progress.
2. Describe strategies to build trust and collaboration with families in the context of feedingchallenges.
3. Implement practical techniques to support mealtime routines and family eating habitsthat foster a positive feeding environment.
4. Recognize common caregiver concerns and misconceptions about feeding, and respondwith empathetic, evidence-based guidance.