Caregiver Involvement in Early Intervention Services: Service Providers' Perspectives

Abstract

Abstract Communication skills are critical for young children with developmental disabilities or delays (DD) to increase their inclusion in school and community settings. Thus, many early intervention (EI) services focus on improving children's communication skills. The involvement of the caregivers, the natural change agents, in EI sessions could significantly impact the communication skills development of young children with DD. EI service providers' perspectives could be one of the factors that increase caregiver involvement. Their perspectives may work as a discernment variable through which they reject or accept the practices related to caregiver involvement, based on their beliefs (Campbell & Halbert, 2002). The purpose of this pilot study was to understand service providers' perspectives on caregiver involvement in EI services. Survey methodology was used, and 129 service providers' responses were analyzed. Overall, the service providers reported that they believed caregiver involvement in EI sessions, and, more specifically, in communication intervention, is critical. Also, service providers reported that they were trying to involve caregivers in their EI services, with some variation between subgroup characteristics. Findings from the survey data have implications related to professional development in the area of building strong partnerships between professionals and families to support children's communication and inclusion.