# Involving Adult Siblings in the Lives of Individuals With Pervasive Support Needs: Attitudes of Healthcare Professionals

## TL;DR

This study explores healthcare professionals' attitudes toward involving adult siblings in the care of individuals with pervasive support needs.

## Contribution

The study identifies gaps in knowledge and structural opportunities for involving adult siblings in care practices.

## Key findings

- Around 40% of healthcare professionals reported lacking knowledge about sibling preferences.
- Most professionals viewed sibling involvement as enjoyable and important, but not all felt it was their responsibility.
- There is a need to improve knowledge and systematically include siblings in care practices.

## Abstract

Facilitating adult sibling involvement for individuals with pervasive support needs is important. This study explores the attitudes of healthcare professionals in this process.

The attitudes of healthcare professionals (n = 60) in the Netherlands were explored through an online, self‐developed survey with open and closed‐ended questions.

Around 40% of the participants reported (partly) lacking knowledge about sibling preferences and 23% (partly) lacking practical opportunities for involving siblings. The majority (partly) perceived the involvement of siblings as an enjoyable part of their work (82%), rated their knowledge and skills positively (87%), and regarded sibling involvement as such importance that they would be willing to exert considerable effort to contribute to it (61%). Not all participants perceived it as their job to collaborate with siblings.

There is a need to increase healthcare professionals' knowledge about adult sibling preferences and structurally embed sibling involvement within care practices.