Key%20Principles%20and%20Practices%20for%20Providing%20Early%20Intervention%20Services%20in%20Natural%20Environments:%20Reaching%20Consensus

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Key Principles and Practices for Providing Early
Intervention Services inNatural Environments
Reaching Consensus

• Joicey Hurth Lynda Pletcher
• National Early Childhood TA Center
• Grace Kelley
• South East Regional Resource Center
• December 3, 2007

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Todays Purpose

• Share and review work completed by CoP Work group
• Compare participants current practices in their
  states to the agreed upon principles and
  practices
• Discuss how this work could assist their state to
  enhance services
• Discuss strategies and next steps

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Introduction

• OSEP sponsored TA Community of Practice-Part C
  Settings www.TACommunities.org
• Sponsored by the Office of Special Education
  Programs, US Dept. of Ed.
• This community facilitated by National Early
  Childhood TA Center (NECTAC) Southeast Regional
  Resource Center (SERRC) and Region 6 Parent
  Information and Training Center (PTI)

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The Identified Need

• Examine the various models of providing
  services in natural environments- how are they
  the same?
• Reach consensus on key principles (foundations)
• Identify the research-base on effective practices
• Identify common practices and leanings that the
  research , model development projects and the
  wisdom from the field suggest
• Describe the agreed upon practices that are
  model neutral
• Describe some examples of how would you know this
  practices is being implemented

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Community Of Practice Workgroup On Principles
and Practices In Natural Environments

• Group of volunteers came together after national
  meeting in 2006 to form workgroup
• Susan Addision, Betsy Ayankoya, Mary Beth Bruder,
  Carl Dunst, Larry Edelman,Andy Gomm, Barbara
  Hanft, John Hoffman, Cori Hill, Joicey Hurth,
  Grace Kelley, Anne Lucas, Robin McWilliam,
  Stephanie Moss, Lynda Pletcher, Dathan Rush,
  MLisa Shelden, Mary Steenberg, Judy Swett, Nora
  Thompson, Julianne Woods, and Naomi Younggren
• Conference calls
• Think Tank working meeting in July 2006
• Provided input and edits on the various documents

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Work still to be completed

• Determine various uses of the current materials
  and develop some written guidance
• Identify the skill sets necessary to implement
  practices
• Review existing training and or other resources
  for matches- what's already out there in
  states?
• Find a grant to pull together existing (or write)
  training resources
• Work with states systems through a variety of
  methods to address policy/procedures and training
  issues for overcome barriers to implementation

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Four Documents and the Status

• Mission and Key Principles of Early Intervention
  Services ( 5th and Final Draft)
• Seven Key Principles Looks Like/Doesnt Look
  Like (3nd Draft)
• Agreed Upon Practices For Providing Early
  Intervention Services In Natural Environments
  (5th and Final Draft)
• Research that Support Key Principles (2nd Draft)

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Mission and 7 Key Principles of Early
Intervention Services

• MISSION- The overarching reason for an early
  intervention system of services
• PRINCIPLES- the foundations or beliefs which
  support all our work with children and families

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Looks/Like Doesnt Look like

• Key concepts behind the principle
• Examples of what the principle might look like in
  practice
• Provides descriptions of what it doesnt look
  like because too often such practices are still
  being used
• Can be use as a training tool
• This is not a consensus document but workgroup
  members provided many of the examples

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Example of A Principle Key Concepts

• 5. IFSP outcomes must be functional and based on
  child and family needs and priorities
• Key Concepts
• Functional outcomes improve participation in
  meaningful activities
• Functional outcomes build on natural motivations
  to learn and do fit whats important to
  families strengthen naturally occurring
  routines enhance natural learning opportunities.
  
• The family understands that strategies are worth
  working on because they lead to practical
  improvements in child family life

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ExampleIII. The primary role of the service
provider in early intervention is to work with
and support the family members and caregivers in
a childs life.

• Looks Like
• Using professional behaviors that build trust and
  rapport and establish a working partnership with
  families.
• Providing information, materials and emotional
  support to enhance familys natural role as the
  people who foster their childs learning and
  development.

• Doesnt Look Like
• Being nice to families and becoming their
  friend
• Training families to be mini therapist or
  interventionist

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Agreed Upon Practices

• Intended for any service provider to use from the
  beginning of their involvement with child/family
• Reflects Consensus of Group
• Model neutral
• Reflective of research, practice and wisdom from
  the field and families (evidence based practices)
• Includes legal requirements
• Document is divided into three sections of
  Service delivery

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Agreed Upon Practices, (cont)

• Numbered statements are what a provider should
  do
• The first numbered statement in each section
  sets the stage for the more detailed, bulleted
  statements that follow
• Bulleted statements are examples of the
  behaviors- how you would see this practice being
  implemented?
• This is NOT a checklist of everything, but there
  is a flow.

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SampleFirst Contacts with Families from Referral
to the IFSP Meeting

• 1. Become acquainted and establish rapport
• Use social behaviors that are warm and welcoming
  and respectful of family culture and
  circumstances.
• Balance the time listening to the family with
  sharing information.
• Ask what language the family usually speaks (mode
  of communication) and if any family members may
  want an interpreter. Explore their level of
  comfort with written documents.
• Express willingness to explore family concerns
  and work with them to find solutions.

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Research that Support Key Principles

• Very much a draft document
• Citations suggested by work group
• Needs verification
• Currently available
• A searchable annotated bibliography on the NECTAC
  Inclusion Web page
• A compilation of the top 10 articles
  recommended by the Researchers/Trainers on the
  Natural Environments Call Series

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Instructions Group work on Practices

1. Look over your assigned section
2. Use worksheet to jot down practices and behaviors
   you do, or think your providers do, now. Rate
3. Note links to training materials, guidance
   documents policies procedures you already have in
   place that would support these practices.
4. Discuss at the table

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Report Out

• Of the practices,which are happening well in your
  state or local program?
• Which of the practices are not happening?
• If Not/ Why not?

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Discussion

• Potential use of these Documents in current
  form/changes?
• Further development? For what purpose?
• How do we build on this work?

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Documents available for dissemination

• Located on
• www.nectac.org/topics/families/families.asp
• Feedback or comments Lynda_pletcher_at_unc.edu
• Please let us know how you are using documents

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Resources

• Link to annotated bibliography http//www.nectac.o
  rg/inclusion/search/inclubibintro.asp
• Link to state documents (guidelines and Policies)
  http//www.nectac.org/inclusion/legis/stlegis.asp
  
• Link to National Conference Call series
  http//www.nectac.org/calls/2004/partcsettings/pa
  rtcsettings.asp