Family-Centered Practice

Definition

Delivery of culturally competent and family responsive early childhood intervention that respects and facilitates a family’s active partnership and participation in the assessment, planning, implementation, and monitoring of the interventions delivered to their child and themselves.

Indicators

  • Builds a relationship and a partnership with each child’s caregiving family to support their participation in their child’s intervention and learning.
  • Support families in their caregiving role of their child.
  • Uses effective communication (listening, speaking, writing) skills with all families across cultural, linguistic, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
  • Includes the family in all components of the early childhood intervention service delivery process.
  • Provides information, guidance, and education to families about child development and their child’s health and safety needs.
  • Provides information, guidance, and education to families about regulations, policies, and procedures for eligibility, intervention, and transition under IDEA and other early childhood programs.
  • Provides information, guidance, and education to families about early childhood intervention and inclusive service delivery models.
  • Collaborates with the family to identify the family’s strengths, needs, concerns, and priorities.
  • Refers families to resources and services to help them meet the needs of their child, their family, and themselves.
  • Provides information to the family about parental rights and safeguards and how to advocate for themselves, their family, and their child.

 

Case studies illustrate the cross-disciplinary competencies and are for use by Higher Education faculty and Professional development staff.
Case Study: Antonia - Family Centered Practice