How Professionals Collaborate to Support Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities in Child Care

As it is common for infants and toddlers with disabilities to receive their early intervention (EI) services in child care programs, this mixed method study examined the experiences of child care and EI providers (e.g., occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech-language pathologists) in c...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Early childhood education journal 2020-09, Vol.48 (5), p.643-655
Main Authors: Weglarz-Ward, Jenna M., Santos, Rosa Milagros, Hayslip, Loretta A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Allied Health Personnel
Barriers
Child Care
Children with disabilities
Collaboration
Cooperation
Disabilities
Early Intervention
Education
Focus Groups
Individualized Family Service Plans
Infants
Learning and Instruction
Occupational Therapy
Online Surveys
Preschool children
Professional Personnel
Resistance (Psychology)
Sociology
Sociology of Education
Speech Language Pathology
State Policy
Toddlers
Young Children
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Summary:As it is common for infants and toddlers with disabilities to receive their early intervention (EI) services in child care programs, this mixed method study examined the experiences of child care and EI providers (e.g., occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech-language pathologists) in collaborating to support infants and toddlers with disabilities in child care settings. Through an online survey and in-person focus groups across a large state, findings indicated that although professionals may interact with each other during EI visits at child care, meaningful collaboration such as including child care providers in Individualized Family Service Plans and embedding intervention strategies into daily routines was minimal. Participants noted many barriers including liability concerns; information sharing; funding and time for collaboration; and minimal training and understanding of child care and EI programming. Participants provided suggestions to support future collaboration including building relationships through shared training, substitute staffing to attend meetings, and clear program and state policies.
ISSN:1082-3301
1573-1707
DOI:10.1007/s10643-020-01029-5