Recent trends in family formation and dissolution necessitate adapting healthcare procedures to better serve contemporary families. Drawing on the social determinants of health and risk and resilience frameworks, this symposium features three studies using diverse research designs (quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods) to illuminate the role of family members and healthcare providers in supporting health and wellbeing of youth with special healthcare needs and their care providers. Specific attention is given to the challenges faced by parents and professionals in providing effective care when children reside in structurally diverse families, and to identifying successful strategies for addressing and overcoming such challenges.

Objectives

(1) To demonstrate common challenges faced by healthcare providers in serving children and adults in diverse family structures (2) To analyze the effectiveness of providing family-centered care to children in diverse family structures (3) To identify strategies used by parents and healthcare providers to overcome common conflicts and challenges present in contemporary families