Children with Disabilities: Findings and Implications for Programs From the Early Head Start Research and Evaluation Project

1
Children with Disabilities Findings and
Implications for Programs From the Early Head
Start Research and Evaluation Project

February 2004
2
The Early Head Start Program

• Head Start, pregnancy to age three
• Child development, parenting, healthy family
  functioning and self-sufficiency
• Follow Head Start Program Performance Standards
• Fit community needscenter-based, home-based,
  combination, locally-designed options
• Over 700 programs serving about 62,000 children
• 10 of enrollment reserved for children with
  disabilities

3
The Early Head Start Research and Evaluation
Project

• Began in 1995 reports to Congress in 2001 and
  2002
• In 17 Early Head Start programsabout 1/3
  center-based, 1/3 home-based, and 1/3
  mixed-approach
• Followed 3,001 children and families from
  enrollment in program until child age 3
• Used random assignmentprogram and control group

4
Research Conducted by Early Head Start Research
Consortium
The Consortium consists of representatives from
17 programs participating in the evaluation, 15
local research teams, the evaluation contractors,
and ACF/ACYF.

• Research institutions in the Consortium (and
  principal researchers) include ACF (Rachel Chazan
  Cohen, Judith Jerald, Esther Kresh, Helen Raikes,
  and Louisa Tarullo) Catholic University of
  America (Michaela Farber, Lynn Milgram Mayer,
  Harriet Liebow, Christine Sabatino, Nancy Taylor,
  Elizabeth Timberlake, and Shavaun Wall) Columbia
  University (Lisa Berlin, Christy Brady-Smith,
  Jeanne Brooks-Gunn, and Alison Sidle Fuligni)
  Harvard University (Catherine Ayoub, Barbara
  Alexander Pan, and Catherine Snow) Iowa State
  University (Dee Draper, Gayle Luze, Susan
  McBride, Carla Peterson) Mathematica Policy
  Research (Kimberly Boller, Ellen Eliason Kisker,
  John M. Love, Diane Paulsell, Christine Ross,
  Peter Schochet, Cheri Vogel, and Welmoet van
  Kammen) Medical University of South Carolina
  (Richard Faldowski, Gui-Young Hong, and Susan
  Pickrel) Michigan State University (Hiram
  Fitzgerald, Tom Reischl, and Rachel Schiffman)
  New York University (Mark Spellmann and Catherine
  Tamis-LeMonda) University of Arkansas (Robert
  Bradley, Mark Swanson, and Leanne
  Whiteside-Mansell) University of California, Los
  Angeles (Carollee Howes and Claire Hamilton)
  University of Colorado Health Sciences Center
  (Robert Emde, Jon Korfmacher, JoAnn Robinson,
  Paul Spicer, and Norman Watt) University of
  Kansas (Jane Atwater, Judith Carta, and Jean Ann
  Summers) University of Missouri-Columbia (Mark
  Fine, Jean Ispa, and Kathy Thornburg) University
  of Pittsburgh (Carol McAllister, Beth Green, and
  Robert McCall) University of Washington School
  of Education (Eduardo Armijo and Joseph
  Stowitschek) University of Washington School of
  Nursing (Kathryn Barnard and Susan Spieker) and
  Utah State University (Lisa Boyce and Lori
  Roggman).

5
Early Head Start Research Sites
6
Overall Findings from the Evaluation

• Broad pattern of significant impacts on
  childrens development (cognitive, language,
  social emotional), parenting (interactions,
  reading, home environments, discipline practices)
  and self-sufficiency (education and work).
• Impacts in nearly all subgroups studied (highest
  risk group an exception).
• Generally modest impacts. Strong impacts in
  programs that implemented early and offered
  flexible program services and among families
  enrolled during pregnancy.

7
Themes Children with Disabilities in Early Head
Start
1. Impacts in disability services (from
experimental study) 2. Program-related
findings about special education-related services
in EHS 3. Gaps in identification and service
provision
8
More Children in EHS Received Part C or were
Identified as Eligible
9
Fewer EHS Children Were in the Low-Functioning
Group
Bayley MDI at 36 Months
Program Children
Control Children
10
Implementation of Services for Families of with
Children with Special Needs

• Programs Very Active in Promoting Part C-EHS
  Collaboration
• SpecialQUEST
• Implemented Procedures
• Policies to follow if a child qualified
• Supported parents during referral
• Worked closely with Part C providers

11
Parents of Children with Disabilities
Participated More in Early Head Start Services
12
Gaps Percent Receiving Part C Services in
Program Subgroups
13
Gaps Between Need and Referrals for Children
with Cognitive Delays

• Bayley Mental Development Index 18 ever lt 70
• About 1/3 received Part C Services
• Most parents unaware of cognitive
• delays

14
Groups with Most Cognitive Delays were Least
Likely to Receive Services

• Bayley MDI lt 70
  Part C
• gt 3 Risks 26 5
• No HS 25 4
• Hispanic 23 4
• Overall 18 6

15
Gaps Between Need and Referrals for Children
with Communication Delays and with Behavior
Problems

• 26 had receptive language delay (lt 77 on the
  PPVT).
• More in high risk group
• Low risk parents more often reported awareness
  of
• childrens communication problems
• Low risk more often received intervention
  services
• 1 reported behavior problems vs. 9 on
  evaluation measure.

16
Implications

• Some gaps between identification and receipt of
  services due to time and acceptance
• Some population groups relatively underserved
  Hispanic, teen parents, parents with low
  education, and those with most demographic risks
• Not identifying many children with cognitive,
  language and behavior delays
• Population groups with greatest needs are least
  likely to receive services
• Need for closer work with medical community

17
For More Information
http//www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/core/ongoing_resea
rch/ehs/ehs_intro.html