The Early Intervention Guidebook for Families and Professionals

Book excerpt: This practical guide is essential reading for families of infants and toddlers with, or at risk for, developmental delays or disabilities and the early intervention professionals who partner with those families. The Early Intervention Guidebookshows what early intervention looks like when it is based on current research, policies, and best practices. It focuses on how families and professionals can collaborate effectively so that young children learn, grow, and thrive. Chapters address important issues in early intervention, including child learning and development, family functioning and priorities, early intervention as a support not a substitute, and thinking about "what's next" after early intervention. Specific components of early intervention - evaluation and assessment, program planning, intervention implementation, service coordination, and transition - are discussed. This hands-on resource: describes the fundamental elements of early intervention for children, families, and professionals who participate in early intervention; uses stories of families in early intervention to illustrate key concepts; provides checklists that readers can use to assess their experience in early intervention; and includes national resources for families and disciplinary professionals.