Strong working relationships with diverse families and children are the
foundation of successful early intervention. Discover fresh, practical
ways to build these relationships in this essential guidebook, every
professional's blueprint for working with children and families within
the specific context of their culture, family structure, and risk
factors.
Developed by two respected early childhood authorities--special
education expert Gail Ensher and pediatrician David Clark--this book is
a must for all professionals serving families of children birth to age 8
who have disabilities or who may be at risk. Presenting a clear
framework for effective relationship-centered care in natural
environments, Ensher and Clark give readers the up-to-date information
and guidance they need to
- meet AAP guidelines and IDEA requirements for family-centered
care, and address the new OSEP requirement that programs report
how early intervention services have helped families and children
- respond appropriately to the different types of family diversity
they'll encounter in their day-to-day work
- enhance their current models for early intervention in natural
environments, such as coaching, consultation, and routines-based early
intervention
- empower families to skillfully sustain and extend care long after
early intervention services are complete
- improve teamwork and communication with a wide range of other
professionals across disciplines and agencies
- inform their practice with the most current demographic
information, all in one convenient volume
With dozens of engaging photos, case studies, anecdotes from parents and
professionals, and a helpful list of resources for working with at-risk
families, readers will get vivid insights that will help them to put
relationship-centered care into practice. And the chapter highlights and
thought-provoking discussion questions make this book ideal for
university courses or independent study.
A must have for every early childhood professional working within
today's changing family landscape, this book is the ultimate guide to
relationship-centered care that improves both child and family outcomes.
Invaluable insights on different types of family diversity:
Family structures. Get a better understanding of teen parents, older
mothers and fathers, same-sex parents, single parents, and more.
Risk factors. Manage the effects of factors like substance abuse,
natural and man-made disasters, homelessness, family member loss, and
child abuse and neglect.
Child-related challenges. Address the ongoing effects of
prematurity, disability, and sibling concerns.
Cultural backgrounds. Strengthen interactions with families from
specific cultural backgrounds, and learn how culture might inform
families' perspectives on early intervention and medical treatment
