Family routines provide young children with predictable, repeatable, and functional contexts for learning about the world. Participating in family routines is a critical pathway by which all children learn. While the use of family routines in caregiver-implemented interventions (CIIs) is supported by theories, research, and recommended practices,…

The Early Childhood Personnel Center (ECPC) was funded by the Office of Special Education Programs at the U.S. Department of Education to provide technical assistance to State Systems of Early Childhood Intervention and Institutions of Higher Education on issues related to personnel development. One initiative of the ECPC has been to collaborate…

Early intervention (EI) for infants and toddlers with disabilities relies on family-centered practices. Caregiver coaching, one family-centered practice used in EI, can lead to improved supports by caregivers and improved outcomes for children with disabilities. However, within the research literature, little is understood about the experiences,…

The Department Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is a new cabinet level agency focused on the well-being of children. The vision is to ensure that "Washington state's children and youth grow up safe and healthy-thriving physically, emotionally and academically, nurtured by family and community." (House Bill 1661) DCYF serves as the…

If a child has been identified as needing early intervention services, parents may have questions about what that means for their child and for the family. This guide will help them understand the Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP) and how it will help their child's development. The IFSP is a document that is used when providing early…

The DEC Recommended Practices provide guidance to families and professionals about the most effective ways to improve learning outcomes and promote development of young children, birth through age 5, who have, or are at-risk for, developmental delays or disabilities. "Family: Knowing Families, Tailoring Practices, Building Capacity" is…

Early intervention for infants and toddlers began with high hopes, but became mired in overspecialization, bureaucracy, and turf guarding. Nevertheless, two important advances in the field have been (a) a recognition that the child's natural caregivers are in the best position to be the intervention agents and, concomitantly, (b) a rethinking…

Nearly half a million children in the United States are currently being served by the foster care system. Infants and toddlers represent the largest single group entering foster care. While these very young children are at the greatest peril for physical, mental health, and developmental issues and tend to spend the longest time in the foster care…

Over the course of the past decade, the state of Louisiana has developed several documents to articulate expectations for children's learning and development and provide guidance for early childhood educators. The experiences and skills that children develop during the early years are critically important to their success later in school. What…

In late 2005, individuals from across the country traveled to attend the national Office of Special Education Conference on Early Childhood in Washington, DC. Connected by networking at the conference, a group of parents with children with special needs left committed to collaboratively formulate a plan to create a family-centered and…

Maternal perceptions of their infants' health and developmental problems were explored in interviews with six mothers of disabled infants ages 3-24 months. Among four prominent themes identified were that mothers desired to be treated as credible sources of information and to be involved in the diagnostic and treatment process. (Author/JW)

Presents information to facilitate ideal family involvement in early intervention. Strategies for conducting family assessments while building collaborative partnerships with families are presented. Characteristics which produce effective collaborative partnerships are reviewed, and the reality of working with families is presented through two…

This article applies four theoretical perspectives to the development of Group Action Planning, which supports infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families in inclusive environments. Practical suggestions for implementing Group Action Planning are offered, as is a longitudinal vignette of its application with one individual with…

This article describes the successful Ohio Early Start program, which is designed to prevent later developmental problems in infants and toddlers. The program was coordinated with the existing early intervention program and other efforts to ensure a comprehensive, community-based and family friendly network of child development health and…

The article examines the need for new strategies for screening and identification of infants potentially eligible for services under Public Law 99-457. Both traditional and new assessment methods involving the family are required. (Author/DB)