CHILD & FAMILY OUTCOMES OF EARLY EDUCATIONAL INTERVENTION Family Outcome We define “family outcome” as a benefit experienced by families as a result of services received. By “families” we mean “the people who think of themselves as part of the family, whether related by blood or marriage or not, and who support and care for each other on a regular basis”. In most early intervention and preschool programs “family” primarily refers to the parents of children with disabilities. However, benefit is possible for the nuclear or extended family unit or for other individuals within the family, including siblings or grandparents. A family outcome is not the receipt of services, but something that happens because services or supports are provided. For example, providing parents with information about their child’s condition is a service; if the parents understand that information and find it helpful in describing their child’s condition to others, advocating for services, or responding effectively when their child becomes upset, a benefit has been experienced and a family outcome has been achieved. Early On is here to help your child with his or her process of growing and learning. It can also help your family to be better able to help your child grow and learn. Part of our work is to measure how much Early On helps your child. We do this by checking on how your child grows and learns while he or she is in Early On. We call this measuring Child Outcomes.
Child outcome indicators include infants and toddlers who demonstrate improvement in: • Positive social-emotional skills (including social relationships) • Acquisition and use of knowledge and skills (including early language/communication); and • Use of appropriate behaviors to meet their needs Positive social-emotional skills (including social relationships). Making new friends and learning to get along with others is an important accomplishment of the early childhood years. Children develop with a sense of who they are by having rich and rewarding experiences interacting with adults and peers. They also learn that different rules and norms apply to different everyday settings and that they need to adjust their behavior accordingly. Acquisition of knowledge and skills (including early language/communication and early literacy. Over the early childhood period, children display tremendous changes in what they know and can do. This outcome involves activities such as thinking, reasoning, remembering, problem-solving, number concepts, counting, and understanding the physical and social worlds. Use of appropriate behaviors to meet their needs. As children develop, they become increasingly more capable of acting on their world. With the help of supportive adults, young children learn to address their needs in more sophisticated ways and with increasing independence. This outcome involves behaviors like taking care of basic needs, getting from place to place, using tools (such as forks, toothbrushes, and crayons). It also includes integrating motor skills to complete tasks; taking care of one's self in areas like dressing, feeding, grooming, and toileting; and acting on the world in socially appropriate ways to get what one wants. Family outcome indicators include responses from families participating in Early On who report that early intervention services have helped their family: • Know their rights; • Effectively communicate their childrens needs; and • Help their children develop and learn. Early Intervention (EI) partners with families of infants and toddlers with developmental delays and disabilities to enhance their child’s development and learning through everyday activities that are important to the child and family. The goal of EI is to help families become more competent and confi dent in helping their child develop and learn. One way we measure progress toward this goal is by gathering information about three child outcomes. National experts say EI should help all eligible children achieve these outcomes: 1. Building positive social-emotional skills and relationships, which includes how children interact and play with other children and adults, how they show their feelings, and how they follow social rules. 2. Acquiring and using knowledge and skills, which includes how children understand basic concepts, learn new things, solve problems, and use words or other ways to communicate. 3. Taking appropriate action to meet their needs, which includes how children become more independent by learning to move on their own, feed themselves, ask for assistance, begin to get dressed, and take care of basic needs.