Reply by the current author to the comments made by R. A. McWilliam, R. N. Roberts and Andy Gomm on the original article. All three commentaries are addressing a common theme that service coordination is not receiving the attention it deserves by state and local early intervention systems and programs. The responses contain a number of key points…

Comments on an article by Dunst and Bruder. Service coordination was supposed to be one of the major jewels in the legislative crown for young children with disabilities and their families. The authors have cast their experienced eyes on the heart of the matter, which is the models of service coordination that sprang to life almost immediately…

This article describes a comprehensive approach to identifying children needing evaluation for exceptional education needs while providing support to parents. Professionals from education, public health, social services, and child care collaborate to provide parents with information, observe children in play, and respond to parents' concerns.…

Young children with special needs and their families often experience transitions across multiple environments in the early childhood years. Many transitions are identified as stressful for children and families. In the present study, a series of focus groups involving administrators, practitioners, and family members were held around the United…

Assessments of family needs made by interagency early intervention teams and individual professionals were compared to assessments of their own needs made by mothers of young children with disabilities. Individual professionals matched only 47% of mothers' responses, while team assessments matched 57% of mothers' responses. (Author/JDD)

This study investigated viewpoints of 290 parents and 267 professionals concerning early intervention services for infants and young children with disabilities in the light of requirements of Public Law 99-457. Major concerns of both groups related to accessing services, developing Individualized Family Service Plans, and coordinating services.…

This discussion of the effects on young children with disabilities of the 1996 Welfare Reform Act, also known as the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act, notes the lack of good data for accurately assessing the service-delivery problem. Stresses the importance of Local Interagency Coordinating Councils in designing…

A study of nine families and three service coordinators examined whether a family's level of satisfaction improves when the service coordination they receive adheres to a family-centered model. Results indicate a high degree of family satisfaction and a low degree of dissatisfaction when the model was adequately implemented. (Author/CR)

This commentary on "The Effects of Family-Centered Service Coordination: A Social Validity Study" (Romer), discusses findings that the three service coordinators did not change their behavior to be more family-centered after one workshop and that it took follow-up work to get their behaviors to a minimal level of performance. (CR)