Family support workforce skills: A conceptualization through a Delphi study

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Summary Family support workforce encompasses a diverse range of professionals, and defining the skills required for this workforce is a multifaceted challenge. A Delphi study was designed to explore the core and field-specific skills essential for family support practitioners, with a keen focus on their implications for a comprehensive model. There were three rounds, with 31 family professionals participating in the first round, and 27 in the second and third rounds. In the initial round, data were gathered to inform subsequent rounds. A comprehensive, structured questionnaire featuring Likert-type scales and ranking options was developed for the second round, encompassing 122 variables across 11 questions. The third round involved panellists responding to 15 yes-no questions, with the opportunity to provide explanations when answering negatively. Findings The findings of this research contribute to the development of a model that outlines family support skills, highlighting the intricate interplay between core and field-specific skills, knowledge, approaches, personal traits, and amalgam qualities within the family support workforce. These core and field-specific workforce skills are strengthened by specific knowledge and practice approaches, reinforced by practitioner traits and qualities that facilitate effective family support. Applications The results of the study can contribute to the development of training for future providers and to the improvement of professional competencies. Implications of this study invite for the development of plain policies regarding education, development of professional competences, and the design of family supportive organizations and services.