Gathering Information from Families

Before and during evaluation and assessment, individualized information is gathered with families about how a child participates in daily activities in various settings. Family members have their own perspectives about meaningful participation for a child in home and community activities, based on their family culture, values, and traditions. Service providers and practioners can prompt family members during planning conversations to:

• reflect on their desires for a child's participation in daily life situations and activities (family priorities)
• talk about the strategies, people, and places that have been, or could be, helpful in promoting a child's development and participation (family resources)
• identify what still needs to be addressed (family concerns)

Planning for a child's evaluation and assessment is a collaborative process between family members and practioners.

Take a minute to reflect on your current practices during initial visits/meetings with children and families.  As you prepare for the evaluation and assessment process think about:

• What does a family want to know about their child?
• What do service providers need to know about a child or family in order to select functional outcomes/goals and family supports services?
• What measures are likely to yield this information?
• How can this information be collected in the least intrusive manner?
• How do you begin to help families to think about how their child in relationship to the three early childhood outcomes:
  • Interacts with adults and other children
  • Demonstrates knowledge and skills using language
  • Takes action to meet own needs
• What has been your experience with conducting initial visits/meetings with children and their families? What content do you cover during initial visits/meetings? 

Exchanging Initial Information with Families: Critical Steps

Initial visits/meeting with a child and family serve many purposes.  They serve to establish a foundation of partnership with families, and to gather information that will shape the evaluation and assessment process.  In addition, families are provided opportunities to learn about the program and the ways they can participate in the evaluation and assessment process, and with an avenue for developing trust in the services and providers with whom they will interact.

1. First, gain a clear understanding of what is already known about the child, and the detail of understanding the family might have about the early intervention or preschool special education program.
2. Second, determine any supports that will be needed at the initial visit/meeting.
3. Describe early intervention or preschool special education services provided through the program, as well as parent rights.
4. Introduce the evaluation and assessment process.
5. Learn about the family’s concerns and priorities related to the child.
6. Gather information about family resources available to address priorities and concerns.
7. Document information gathered at the initial visit/meeting  in meaningful ways so that it can be shared with the professionals who will perform evaluation and assessment.
8. Collect information about the child’s functioning (related to the three early childhood outcomes) through observations and conversations with family members and caregivers.

The information gathered during the initial visit/meeting provides the opportunity to establish rapport and gather information that will be useful for child evaluation and assessment.

Reflection to Action - Activity

Watch this video clip of a Part C early intervention service coordinator meeting with a parent in order to gather information about his infant with a disability.

In the video, the early intervention service coordinator is on a home visit gathering information from the family about the child's daily routines and general functioning, and the family's experiences, needs, and priorities regarding caring for their child and promoting his developmental skills. The child is sleeping in his seat. It is near the end of his nap time. His father repsonds to the service coordinator's open-ended and reflective questions. He describes the processes involved in his son's daily routines along with the challenges involved and the roles of both parents. He responds to questions about family preferences and priorities and child preferences.

Click here to view the video.
 

After watching this video clip, complete the Action Planning Tool provided.

This video clip is taken from an online training module entitled, Introduction to IDEA Part C: Three Interactive Modules, Washington State Department of Early Learning. (Content hosted by NECTAC - National Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center). www.nectac.org/wamodules/functional.asp.

Exchanging Ongoing Information with Families

Providing families opportunities to share what makes their child special and unique enhances the partnership between early childhood special education personnel and the families they serve. Early childhood special education personnel who value and foster this partnership yield greater participation from families and improve child outcomes. It is essential when exchanging ongoing information with families that early childhood special education personnel implement active listening strategies, such as asking open-ended questions and “the sandwich approach.” The “sandwich approach” strategy layers constructive feedback in between positive statements. An example of the “sandwich approach” would be, “Finley is extremely interested in her peers. She often visits several centers to spend time with her friends. We are encouraging Finley to remain in the center she has chosen until her visual reminder clock expires. Over the past several days, Finley has done an excellent job of continuing to play in the center of her choice then relocating to join her friends. We will continue to provide her verbal and gestural reminders to improve her independence in this skill. Mom, can you share strategies that you use at home to increase Finley’s attention in an activity?”  Exchanging ongoing information with families during regularly scheduled times that are respectful of a family’s schedule will support the growth and development of all young children with disabilities.

Reflection to Action - Activity

Watch a video of a preschool teacher in an inclusive early childhood classroom meeting with a parent to gather information about her daughter with a disability.  In the video, the preschool teacher is hosting a before school meeting to exchange information on the child’s routines, progress, goals, and experiences in a classroom of typically developing peers.  The child, Finley, joins mom and the teacher intermittently to share her thoughts and participate in the conversation.  Her mother responds to the teacher’s open-ended and reflective questions.  She describes the growth her daughter has experienced at home along with the challenges involved in their changing family dynamics. As a team, mom and the teacher identified opportunities to collaborate on shared goals for Finley.

Click here to view the video.
 

After watching this video clip, complete the Action Planning Tool provided.

This video clip is taken from an online professional development resource library, entitled Results Matter: Early Care and Education http://www.cde.state.co.us/resultsmatter/rmvideoseries