Home Treatment Program for Infants in the Israeli-Arab Commu

12 Factors Supporting the Success of the Program, or Holding it Back Our experience shows that there are a number of factors that are likely to help the success of the program, and a number of factors that are liable to hold it back. Factors supporting the success of the program:  The social worker is an experienced professional, who speaks the language and knows the culture, and preferably also comes from the community and is known and admired by it.  Ensuring the suitability of the therapist to the family structure (near and distant family). For example, if only the mother is at home the therapist should be a woman, to ensure that there is no conflict between the child’s family and the family of the professional, and so on.  Flexibility on the part of the program team with regard to the type and manner of treatment given in the family home, adapted to the needs of the family and the child.  Training the entire team on issues of cultural sensitivity, with an understanding of the special characteristics of the community in which the program is being held.  Creating significant and strong ties with the relevant community entities, in order to: o Identify families for the program. o Make contact with the families and enlist them into the program. o Help find therapeutic and educational frameworks for the child. o Maintain contact with the family after the end of the program, and provide future assistance if necessary. o Create a community infrastructure to enable the creation of a permanent program, financed and operated by the local authority, for the continued identification and treatment of similar families in the future. Factors holding back the success of the program  Inability to enlist cooperation on the part of the identification systems in the community  Shortage of available and accessible services within the community or in the area  Negative attitudes in the community towards the families and with regard to disabilities  Fear on the part of the families of being reported to the welfare services, in the event that the child is suspected of being at risk.