Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) by Parents about COPCA®

• What are the aims of the COPCA® programme?
  1. To empower you as a family to have the autonomy to stimulate your child by means of everyday activities and to make decisions appropriate for your child in supporting his/her development.
  2. To support both the development of your child’s mobility and also the general development of your child so that your child can take part as fully as possible in daily life.
• Is COPCA® paid for by the health insurance companies?
  Yes, when prescribed by a doctor, COPCA® treatments are paid for by the health insurance companies in Switzerland. 
• What is my role as father or mother in the COPCA® programme?
  You have an active role in COPCA®. Together with the COPCA® coach, you plan the therapy and set goals that are important to your family. The therapy shows you how best to support your child’s development integrated into everyday routines. You are guided in this by the COPCA® coach.
• What is the role of the therapist in the COPCA® programme?
  Therapists are called coaches in the COPCA® programme. This, in turn, defines their role. They are there to coach you as a family member. Coaching comprises an exchange of information between you and the coach. In addition, coaching involves: observation of the interaction between you and the child, sharing these observations, asking questions, listening, offering suggestions, reflecting on the situation and giving feedback. As development experts, the COPCA® coaches will also perform regular development assessments of your child.
• Why is COPCA® aimed at the whole family and not primarily at the child?
  We know today that a child develops best in the setting of a supportive family in which it is supported and stimulated, and the needs of all family members are considered. It is therefore important that the COPCA® coach understands your needs, wishes and goals in order to help support the development of the child optimally. 
• Why are COPCA® sessions ideally carried out in the home environment and integrated into everyday activities?
  The motor development of small children happens as they interact with family members and explore the home environment. As such, the home is the best place for development stimulation. Many families also find therapy in the home less stressful. The efficacy of the development therapy is wholly dependent on the frequency of the sessions. When family members translate the principles of development stimulation into everyday activities, a high dose of treatment is achieved.
• Why doesn’t the therapist perform the therapy on the COPCA® programme?
  As parents, you learn to apply the translate the principles of development stimulation through interaction with your child. It is much easier to learn these principles when you are actively involved.
• What do parents value most about COPCA®?
  A study looked at the experiences of Swiss mothers whose children had received COPCA® therapy. It showed that mothers really appreciate the COPCA® programme. They were particularly enthusiastic about the therapy taking place in the home environment. They valued the support from the coach and the fact that they were involved as an active partner whose needs and goals were taken into account.
• What is the duration of the COPCA® therapy programme?
  The duration of the therapy is decided according to the clinical profile of the individual child and depends on symptoms, the home environment and other factors.
• How long is one therapy session?
  As a rule, one therapy session is about 45 minutes.