Comments on: EI Research to Practice Brief #1: Provider Perspectives on Changing their Practices

By: Dana Childress, M.Ed.

Dana Childress, M.Ed. — Fri, 02 May 2014 13:46:01 +0000

In reply to Lori.

So well said! I think that, when we are constantly striving for best practice, that we do stay in a theory to practice stage. Being mindful about that effort and actively striving for the goals you mention are what help us move from an awareness level to actually putting those ideals into practice.

By: Lori

Lori — Thu, 01 May 2014 19:43:58 +0000

Theory Into Practice is the stage I feel I am at all of the time. Fortunately I came from the multi disciplinary family centered natural environment training; I didn’t have to change my approach, just figure out how to “best reach the ideal”. It has been over a dozen years, & we are still working on collaborating with professionals & parents who are not yet used to this concept. Either way; theory tends to be based on the Ideals of practice. Will we ever be 100%? Not likely. But we have to strive for the ideal to get closest to it as possible; most importantly respecting, valuing & empowering families, not imposing our values as professionals but letting parents know that they have the potential to be the experts because they are the childs #1 teacher and guiding them along the way, as a team.

By: Dylan_Rodgers

Dylan_Rodgers — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 16:42:19 +0000

Using new strategies can be very useful and in times of change difficulties can arise which shows why implementing these strategies with new families can be the most successful. Although if you are already working with a family, if you help explain the importance of trying these new strategies and how they can help in the development of their child could help them be more receptive to the change

By: Dana Childress, M.Ed.

Dana Childress, M.Ed. — Thu, 24 Apr 2014 12:40:51 +0000

In reply to Laurie Cunningham.

That’s wonderful to hear! I love how you describe your time with the family. I found that using Robin McWilliam’s quote – about how it’s not what we do during the visit that makes the difference in the child’s development, it’s what happens between visits that really matters – to be very useful with families. What do you all do in your locality to try to reach out to health care providers to help them understand how EI works? That’s an ongoing challenge in many places…

By: Laurie Cunningham

Laurie Cunningham — Wed, 23 Apr 2014 18:50:56 +0000

I do love the term collaborative consultation. I’ve been successful with being very upfront with families who are coming from a different model – clearly defining roles and talking about how we can work together to make changes they want to see. We talk about how my time with them is so short and that my expectation is not that we will see big things happening during our session, but that big things will happen later that they can tell me about next time. It can be really difficult, especially when the medical community pushes a different kind of therapy model, but I am finding it easier and easier to work within this model with the family fully engaged.

By: Dana Childress, M.Ed.

Dana Childress, M.Ed. — Wed, 23 Apr 2014 15:28:33 +0000

In reply to Carol Wesley MS,CCC-SLP.

What an interesting insight, Carol. I’ve never thought about the toy bag being our setting but you’re right, by bringing it we are trying to create a setting. What you say to parents really emphasizes the flexibility that’s required to provide good EI support!

By: Carol Wesley MS,CCC-SLP

Carol Wesley MS,CCC-SLP — Wed, 23 Apr 2014 04:35:47 +0000

If you think about it, the setting is your toy bag. I often find it makes sense to the grownups when I can say, “Because we have goals, I knew what I would be doing here today, I just didn’t know what I’d be doing it with!”

By: Dana Childress, M.Ed.

Dana Childress, M.Ed. — Tue, 22 Apr 2014 12:40:42 +0000

In reply to danielle@t4k.

I love your strategy of setting a specific goal for YOURSELF before each session. That’s very different from thinking about what you need to get the child to do during the visit. The focus is on you in a very positive way and on your own growth as an interventionist. That’s how we change practices – by making that commitment to ourselves and purposefully thinking about and working towards it everyday!

By: Dana Childress, M.Ed.

Dana Childress, M.Ed. — Tue, 22 Apr 2014 11:59:32 +0000

In reply to Janet Hammond, MS/CCC-SLP.

You are definitely describing the reality of early intervention, Janet. Thank you for your honesty. Your team might want to check out our video series: Early Intervention: A Routines-based Approach. We have 3 service providers talking about changing their practices who provide helpful insights from people doing the same job. The video also shows these providers at work with families. Hope this helps!

By: danielle@t4k

danielle@t4k — Tue, 22 Apr 2014 00:25:45 +0000

I agree that starting new strategy with a new family is much easier. I have worked in EI for a long time and when I look back and think about how I have changed my therapy over the years working towards this collaborative consultation model it astounds me. Ten years ago I would have NEVER walked into a house without my toy bag!! That would have done me in!! I agree with what Kathryn says that this model “empowers” families to feel that they can help their child. I try with each new family to be less hands on and more of a coach by setting a specific goal for myself before that first session (i.e. this time I’m going to ask “what do you want to work on today?” or “I’m just going to watch you play”). I still have a lot of work to do in this area but it is such a joy to see the family using the strategies that I provided for them when they actually get the results we are looking for. When families thank me for what I have done I always put it back on them and remind them that it’s not what I did, I just coached them and they did the hard work.