In the early 2000s in Australia, including parents and family members in therapy sessions with children with disability was a very new concept. My manager at the time led a reform to ensure that early intervention focused on supporting parents and families, and all therapists, including myself as a music therapist, would need to work within this new family-centred ethos. My manager said to me, “can you work with these families in their homes? Can you try and think of music therapy activities that the parents can do with their child without you?” Back then, the expert model where the music therapist facilitates the session was the way I had been trained. Imagining a session where the parents were not only involved, but should be encouraged to use music therapy methods with their child on their own, was difficult to conceptualise. I had never seen anyone working in this way, and I worried about job security if music therapy methods could be ‘taught’ to parents and other team members.

Nowadays, partnering with parents, sharing musical resources, providing coaching or consultation, and promoting the use of music therapy strategies in the home is a specialised but relatively common-place approach. In this presentation, I will reflect on 25 years of working with families who have young children with disabilities, as well as the everyday challenges that arise for music therapists working in this field. The presentation will conclude by considering how changes to funding and support structures might threaten the viability of family centred practice, but could also offer new opportunities for more sustainable practices in Australia and excellent outcomes for children and families.