When opinions differ: The development of a reflection tool for youth professionals to support shared decision-making with parents

The importance of shared decision-making (SDM) in youth care is increasingly emphasised. Professional reflection on the decision-making process is an important means to improve the use of SDM in practice. In this study, we report on the development of a reflection tool for youth professionals primarily to use when they hold a different opinion then parents about referral to specialised youth care services. In co-creation with local youth professionals and parent representatives from the South of the Netherlands, the tool was developed and tested in practice. This process was guided by a three-stage cyclical research project. First, reflective group discussions provided an initial understanding of professionals’ needs, interests and experiences. This input then was analysed and documented into a draft tool with reflective questions. Next, this tool was tested on fictive and real life cases and adjusted with input from youth professionals and parents. This process resulted in an online reflection tool covering 16 overarching reflective questions to support youth professionals’ reflection on their shared decision-making in practice. The tool can be used and adapted by others in the field of youth care to improve the process of making shared decisions with parents in complex cases.