In this study, the relationships between child social functioning, parenting stress, and Part C Early Intervention (EI) enrollment were examined in 227 ethnically and racially diverse, low-income families of 15- to 27-month-old children. All toddlers in the sample were identified with or at high risk for developmental delay via universal screening…

Early intervention (EI) providers--who deliver Part C services under the purview of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) for children birth-3 years old with/at risk of disabilities--play an important role in promoting the development of young children and their caregivers. Enhancing caregiver capacity to meet the developmental…

Children with or at risk of disabilities engage in fewer and less complex social interactions (SIs) than their typically developing peers. The playground is an ideal setting for teachers to promote SIs among children. However, few studies have examined practical and meaningful strategies for supporting teachers in effectively facilitating SIs.…

In the United States, there is a widespread concern with not referring more infants and toddlers with a risk of or identified autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to Early Intervention (EI) under Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, 2004). Despite early signs and screening initiatives, most children with ASD are not referred…

The success of Early Intervention (EI) programs (Part C, IDEA [Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004]) for infants and toddlers with special needs (birth to 36 months) is largely influenced by the quality of direct service providers. Little is known, however, about characteristics of providers or involvement in training…

Infants and toddlers who live in poverty are more likely to experience developmental delays or disabilities and less likely to access early intervention (EI) services. The federal initiative Race to the Top--Early Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC) was designed to increase access to high quality early learning programs for children at risk for…

Findings from a study investigating the effects of early intervention settings on the extent of parent involvement in IDEA Part C Infant and Toddler Programs are reported. Participants were 124 parents and other primary caregivers of children receiving early intervention in 22 states who completed an investigator-developed scale measuring…

Federal directives require that any child less than 3 years old with a substantiated case of abuse be referred to the early intervention (EI) system. This article details the need and presents a vision for a trauma-informed EI system. The authors describe two exemplary program models which implement this vision and recommend steps which the field…

Early intervention (EI) provides critical services to families with young children who have diagnosed disabilities, developmental delays, or who are at-risk for developmental delays. Very little is known about the experiences of adolescent mothers who have children who qualify for EI services. The authors investigated the perceptions of adolescent…

Kansas Early Head Start (KEHS) provides comprehensive services following federal Head Start Program Performance Standards for pregnant women and eligible families with children from birth to age 4. KEHS was implemented in 1998 using Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) quality set-aside dollars augmented by a transfer of federal…

The purpose of this synthesis is to present summary information on family-centered practices, and on interventions aimed at promoting positive parenting practices, teaching parenting skills, and influencing parent child interactions that have demonstrated associations with positive social emotional development for children aged 0-3 years. The…

This brief synthesis provides a summary of intervention practices that are supported by empirical evidence for promoting adaptive social-emotional behavior of young children in group contexts (e.g., pre-K classrooms; child care settings). The focus of the synthesis is on toddlers and preschool children who are identified as having disabilities or…

Although many studies have explored emergency services for children, there are few published reports of the utilization of emergency services by children with disabilities. The present study attempts to provide data regarding the utilization of, and factors affecting, emergency department visits by disabled children in Taipei. A general census of…

"Part C Updates" is a compilation of information on various aspects of the Early Intervention Program for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities (Part C) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This is the eleventh volume in a series of compilations, which included two editions of Part H Updates, the former name of the…

A major challenge to state and jurisdictional policy makers in implementing the Early Intervention Program for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities, Part C under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), continues to be determining definitions of developmental delay and criteria of eligibility for services to young children, birth…