Ann and Rud Turnbull have developed and refined a framework for collaboration between families and professionals known as the empowerment model. When partners are empowered, they exercise control over their lives (and, by extension, over the lives of their children). Empowerment occurs when the resources (motivation and knowledge/skills) of families and professionals are incorporated with both opportunities for partnerships and obligations for reliable alliances.

Therefore, the key components of empowerment are:

• motivation of both family and professionals
• knowledge and skills of both family and professionals
• opportunities for partnership
• obligations for reliable alliances
  

Empowerment is a complex developmental process that takes time. Where should the nurse begin the collaboration process that leads to empowerment? Let’s take a look at each of theTurnbulls’ four components in more detail to answer that question.