Standard 2: Topics
Topics: Each of the standards has two or more components that further describe what is meant by the standard for a total of 27 components across the seven standards. This section identifies, what learners should know and be able to do based on that component to facilitate positive outcomes for children and families.
Component 2.1 Learners apply their knowledge of family-centered practices, family systems theory, and the changing needs and priorities in families’ lives to develop trusting, respectful, affirming, and culturally responsive partnerships with all families that allow for the mutual exchange of knowledge and information.
What Learners Should Know and Be Able to Do
Learners Who Are Competent in this Component Know and Understand:
- family systems theory,
- influence of biological, environmental, cultural, and societal factors on families’ structure, interactions, functions, and the family life cycle, and
- families’ diverse knowledge and expertise about their children’s strengths and needs.
Learners Who Are Competent in this Component Are Able To:
- use relational practices to foster trusting partnerships with families,
- acknowledge child and family strengths and nurture positive interactions by actively listening, showing empathy, and respecting family perspectives,
- use participatory and collaborative practices, including soliciting families’ opinions and ideas, jointly sharing information, and involving families in identifying and obtaining needed resources,
- interact with families in ways that build on their strengths and capacities in working with their young children, such as
- jointly develop and implement individualized plans based on the families’ priorities and the child’s strengths and needs, and
- jointly identify strategies to facilitate the child’s learning and development, and
- gather information systematically to develop a deeper understanding of family uniqueness, circumstances, and changing priorities,
- consider factors such as social identities (e.g., culture, gender, sexuality, socio-economic status, marital status, and age) and stressors (e.g., trauma, mental health issues, and medical conditions), as they build relationships, exchange knowledge and information, and plan for individualized supports, such as
- ensure that classroom materials and activities represent the diversity of children and families represented in the program,
- adjust meeting times to accommodate families’ work schedules,
- use technology when appropriate to communicate with families, and
- provide information to the family in their home language, and
- engage in self-reflection of their own culture, beliefs, and experiences, and evaluate the impact and use that information to inform interactions with families and respond in sensitive and culturally affirming ways.
Component 2.2 Learners communicate clear, comprehensive, and objective information about resources and supports that help families to make informed decisions and advocate for access, participation, and equity in natural and inclusive environments.
What Learners Should Know and Be Able to Do
Learners Who Are Competent in this Component Know and Understand:
- resources and supports for families in their program and community,
- their own implicit and explicit biases.
Learners Who Are Competent in this Component Are Able To:
- use effective communication strategies such as attending, listening, and asking clarifying questions,
- articulate unbiased, comprehensive, and clear information from multiple perspectives and sources such as other professionals, policies, research, and professional literature,
- share information about all available services and community resources,
- communicate in the families’ preferred mode of communication (e.g., using an interpreter, via technology) in IFSP/IEP meetings, home visits, parent-teacher conferences, etc.,
- identify and connect families to resources and supports needed to make informed decisions about their child’s services,
- collaborate with families in planning for transitions from one setting to another,
- use a range of strategies to support families in advocating for access and equity in natural and inclusive environments,
- reflect on their own biases,
- provide multiple opportunities for families to be engaged in program activities and governance, and
- establish opportunities for families to connect with other families.
Component 2.3 Learners engage families in identifying their strengths, priorities, and concerns; support families to achieve the goals they have for their family and their young child’s development and learning; and promote families’ competence and confidence during assessment, individualized planning, intervention, instruction, and transition processes.
What Learners Should Know and Be Able to Do
Learners Who Are Competent in this Component Know and Understand:
- family engagement practices essential for supporting and strengthening family capacity and well-being to promote child development and learning,
- culturally responsive evidence-based practices, and
- adult learning strategies.
Learners Who Are Competent in this Component Are Able To:
- involve families as equal partners,
- use participatory practices such as acknowledging the family’s expertise, and supporting families in identifying strengths, priorities, and concerns,
- provide multiple opportunities for active family collaboration in decision-making such as
- assessment – exchange knowledge, information, expertise to evaluate and synthesize information about the child’s strengths and needs,
- planning – create outcomes/goals, develop implementation plans, identify informal and formal supports and services,
- implementation – select and adapt culturally responsive evidence-based practices appropriate to each family, and
- transition – evaluate transition options that meet identified needs and priorities, and
- communicate and reflect with the family to evaluate monitor, and modify services, supports, and resources,
- use a range of intervention and instructional strategies to promote families’ competence and confidence such as video, coaching, consultation, modeling, and assistive technology,
- employ adult learning strategies when partnering with families.
What Learners Should Know and Be Able to Do
Learners who have mastered this component/topic use effective communication strategies, such as attending, listening, and asking clarifying questions, to actively seek information from and about families. They articulate unbiased, comprehensive, and clear information from multiple perspectives and varied sources. Sources of information may include other professionals, policies, research, and professional literature. Candidates communicate in families’ preferred modes, utilizing multiple formats, using technology when appropriate, and regularly checking for understanding (e.g., inserting intentional breaks during conversations, using interpreters) during formal and informal processes such as individualized education planning, home visits, and parent-teacher conferences. They prepare families to make informed decisions that are reflective of their priorities and concerns and support their young child’s engagement, learning, development, and well-being. For example, they identify and connect families to resources (e.g., mental health services, health care, adult education, English language instruction, and economic support/assistance), and may help with planning transitions from one setting to another.
Learners recognize the critical need for equitable access to supports within natural and inclusive environments for all young children and families. They use a range of strategies to support families in advocating for access and equity in natural environments and inclusive settings and share information about all available services and community resources. They reflect on their own biases in order to understand the impact they have on their communication with families. They collaboratively problem solve and plan around the vision families have for their children and identify strategies to support families in accessing local community settings. They ensure multiple opportunities for families to be engaged in program activities and governance, including using strategies to seek family perspectives on program offerings. For example, they establish opportunities for families to connect with one another and respect families’ decisions.
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Activity Bank
*New* Tip sheet: Enhancing Family-Provider Partnerships During COVID-19 | Enhancing Family-Provider Partnerships |
Tips for Providers: Providing & Coordinating EI Remotely | Tips for Providers: What to say to Families |
Tips for Providers: Providing & Coordinating EI Remotely (What will it look like?) | Tips for Providers: What will a Remote Visit Look Like? |
Tips for Families: Receiving Remote EI Services | Tips for Families Flyer .pdf What is Remote EI
Consejos para Familias .pdf What is Remote EI? (Spanish) |
Tips for Families: How to prepare for a Remote EI Visit | Tips for Families: .pdf Preparing for the Visit
TConsejos para Familias: .pdf Preparing for the Visit (Spanish) |
ECPC Course Enhancement Modules | E-Learning Lessons, Practice Guides & Resources |
CONNECT Modules | CONNECT Modules and Courses |
Virginia Early Intervention Professional Development Center | Framework for reflective questioning / The Coaching Quick Reference Guide - .pdf |
Virginia Early Intervention Professional Development Center | Tools of Trade |
OCALI (Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence Disabilities) (note: you must login but it is free) | Suite of Resources for Early Childhood Professionals |
Public Consulting Group | Use of telehealth in early intervention (IDEA Part C) |
Protecting Student Privacy
U.S. Department of Education |
Student Privacy 101 |
Edelman, L. (2020). Planning for the Use of Video Conferencing for Early Intervention Home Visits during the COVID-19 Pandemic | Planning for the Use of Video Conferencing for Early Intervention Home Visits during the COVID-19 Pandemic |
CEC Hosted Webinar with Resources | Teaching Special Education Online During COVID-19 |
National Center for Hearing Assessment & Management Utah State University | Welcome to the Tele-Intervention Learning Courses |
Lisa Dieker & Rebecca Hines UCF - Podcasts for Part B/619 Coordinators | Series of Podcasts: teaching online, inclusion, etc. |
National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations - May Newsletter | Pyramid in the Time of COVID-19 |