early childhood Archives - Page 7 of 24 - Early Intervention Strategies for Success

Jenni began working with a new EI program a few weeks ago. She’s really happy in this new position and one of the reasons is the great leadership. Her supervisor is a wonderful resource for how to implement best practices. He’s current in his knowledge and skills and supports his staff, including Jenni, in growing …

I have to admit…talking about financial stuff was one of the most uncomfortable parts of my job as a service coordinator. Asking families about their income and even their tax information to assess their ability to pay for EI services…not fun for me or them. As with many aspects of service coordination, I found that …

EI…IFSP…eligibility determination…Part C…outcomes…Part B…huh? Oral motor…abduction…sensory processing…cognition…what???

Okay, so it’s quite clear that we have our own language in early intervention. We have our own lingo (PDF, New Window) and our own technical jargon, and we are quite fluent in our language. This is normal for many fields, right? What may be different for us, though, is …

On a given day, you might have anywhere from 2-6 visits with families. If you step back and reflect, how do these visits typically work? There may be a similar way you begin or end your visits. You may find yourself conducting visits in the same parts of the home across visits or asking similar questions …

I have a confession…I don’t actually think we should spend so much time talking with families about their concerns. I think we should ask once, so that we have it for Section II of the IFSP, then leave it alone. Instead, I think we should focus much more on the family’s priority for their child’s …

Finally…some sunshine and warm weather! This time of year is a perfect time to break your floor play habit and get up and move around. Taking early intervention outdoors does not have to mean that you just move your bottom from the living room floor to a blanket of toys out in the grass, which …

Last week, our May Talks on Tuesdays webinar presenter, Jeannie Odachowski, presented about Approaching Families About Early Mental Health Care. Something she said really stuck with me and I’m still thinking about it over a week later. She talked about “wondering” with families – encouraging service providers to wonder with the parent about why the …

As you get to know Jackie, Teddy’s mother, you learn that she has very high expectations for her son. She expects him to feed himself without getting messy, sit during children’s church on Wednesday and Sunday, and begin potty training – but Teddy is only 19 months old. He’s just learned to walk a few …

Pop Quiz: What is the activity that families report in the literature as the most helpful thing that happens on EI visits?

Answer: Problem-solving

Are you surprised? It makes so much sense when you think about how much you talk with families about their challenges – teaching the 18 month old to sit in the grocery chart, understanding a …

Are you Service Provider A or Service Provider B?

Service Provider A always brings a bag of toys to each visit because this allows her to plan ahead. Having a toy bag ensures that she has the materials that she knows will work, which is great because many children she sees don’t have many toys. The children …

DEC Recommended Practices: Leadership in EI

Knowing your Financial “Stuff”

Watch your EI Lingo!

Research to Practice Brief #6: Home Visiting Beliefs and Practices

A Priority or a Concern – What’s the Difference and Why it Matters

Time to Take Early Intervention Outside!

Ever “Wonder” with Families?

The Parent’s Expectations are So High…What Do You Do?

The Value of Collaborative Problem-Solving

But Everyone Else Still Brings Toys…

It’s Not Goodbye, It’s See You Later!

Supporting Social and Emotional Development: What ALL Early Interventionists Can Do!

Baskin Robbins: How Do I Decide?

Get the Backstory: Validating and Valuing Family Input

EI Awareness Month in VA – The Power of Family Stories

Resource Alert! – Check Out the New Transition Learning Path

The Unspoken Realities of Child Abuse during a Pandemic

Successfully Engaging Caregivers in the Child Outcomes Summary Process Virtually

Call to Action! Service Coordination and Early Intervention – DEC/ITCA Position Statement