Active family involvement in Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) is regarded as a beneficial factor in young children's learning and development. One definition of family involvement is the active role parents take in their child's development and the knowledge and participation they share with professionals who are part of the child's daily…

Due to the diverse needs of young children at risk for or with developmental delays/ disabilities and their families, an interdisciplinary and collaborative team is required in schools to deliver family-centered, individualized early intervention/early childhood special education (EI/ECSE) services (Division for Early Childhood of the Council for…

The recent attention being given to early childhood trauma and its negative effects on long-term learning and development has led many policymakers, practitioners, and researchers to focus on developing practices that support children and families who are experiencing trauma. Given the fact that many young children spend a significant amount of…

The author of this article asks: What is readiness for kindergarten? How do we know when a child is ready? Unfortunately, as with many topics in education reform and improvement, policy makers ignore the complex questions about readiness and instead focus narrowly on select variables. The focus for kindergarten readiness is on select literacy and…

For children developing language typically, exposure to language through the natural, general language stimulation provided by families, siblings, and others is sufficient enough to facilitate language learning (Bloom & Lahey, 1978; Nelson, 1973; Owens, 2008). However, children with language delays (even those who are receptively and…

A critical component for implementing evidence-based early intervention supports and services is the ability to write family-centered, functional, participation-based outcomes. Participation-based outcome statements that are family-focused center on the desires and needs of the parents or other care providers and are based on their interest in…

This article provides practical strategies and techniques that early childhood educators can implement in their classrooms to effectively manage challenging behaviors. The specific strategies addressed fall under the following categories: (a) classroom management, (b) reinforcement, and (c) communication. Suggestions are made for how parents can…

With the increasing diversity in the United States, there has been a call for early intervention/early childhood special education (EI/ECSE) services to be responsive and sensitive to the diversity of children and families represented in communities. Culturally responsive practice is particularly important for EI/ECSE professionals because of the…

On any given day, early intervention (EI) providers must manage the individual needs of children with a range of disabilities in a variety of contexts and with varying caregiver/family priorities. Recommended and evidence-based practices as defined by Part C policy (Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act, 2004) and the Division…

The National Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (NECTAC) reported 348,604 children received services in the United States under Part C of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 2009, representing 2.7% of the population (NECTAC, 2012). Early Intervention (EI), or Part C, is designed to provide services to families of…

Parents play important roles as advocates for their child with a disability. Advocacy is the process of striving to improve the quality of life for someone else. The Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires parents and professionals to work together to design a service delivery plan for children with disabilities. An…

Family members and educational teams frequently participate in planning, implementing, and evaluating programs for young children with disabilities and those at risk for academic and behavior difficulties. Decision making should incorporate an integration of best available research evidence along with practitioners' and families' beliefs and…

Home visiting is a common method of providing early intervention services to families. The reason home visitors in early intervention programs begin working with a young child and his or her family is usually because the child has a developmental delay, diagnosed disability, or is at risk for developing a delay. It seems reasonable for a home…

The transition from early intervention to early childhood special education is only one of the many transitions that children with disabilities and their families will face throughout their lives (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 2004). This transition, however, can be particularly difficult for children and parents (Hanson et al.,…

This article begins with a vignette about Carla, a 4-year-old girl with a diagnosis of developmental delays. It then describes a model to facilitate inclusion of young children in early childhood settings. The authors developed this model as they worked with practicing early childhood professionals. The model places emphasis on the following…