Infants & Young Children - Current Issue , 

From the Editor No abstract available

State Variability in Diagnosed Conditions for IDEA Part C Eligibility An infant or toddler can begin the process of receiving Part C early intervention services by having a diagnosed condition with a high probability of developmental delay (Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act, 2004). How states define those diagnosed conditions that begin the initiation process varies widely. Lists of diagnosed conditions were collected from state Part C websites and Part C coordinators for a descriptive analysis. Across 49 states, the District of Columbia, and 4 territories, a final list of 620 unique conditions was compiled. No single condition was listed by all jurisdictions. Hearing impairment was the condition listed by the most states (n = 38), followed by fetal alcohol syndrome (n = 34). Of the 620 conditions, 168 (27%) were listed by only 1 state, 554 (89%) were listed by fewer than 10 states, and 66 (11%) were listed by 10 or more states. Of these 66 conditions, 47 (71%) were listed by fewer than 20 states. Most of these 66 conditions (n = 48; 72.7%) had a prevalence of “very rare or rare,” 8 (12%) were “common,” 6 (9%) were “very common,” and 4 (6.1%) were “unknown.” The wide heterogeneity in the number and type of diagnostic conditions listed across states should be further investigated as it may represent imbalances in children with diagnosed conditions gaining access to Part C evaluations and individualized family service plans and potentially the services themselves across states. In addition, providing ready access to lists of diagnosed conditions is a simple step that could help states and Part C programs facilitate access to services.

Building Professional Capacity to Strengthen Parent/Professional Relationships in Early Intervention: The FAN Approach A strong relationship between parents and professionals is essential to successful early intervention. Yet, programs struggle to engage families in services. This article describes a successful pilot project to strengthen parent/professional relationships for families with children with disabilities living in a high-poverty urban area. Early intervention (EI) providers were trained to use the FAN (Facilitating Attuned Interactions) approach to increase their attunement to parent concerns and capacity to collaborate with parents during early intervention therapy sessions. Over the pilot project, the providers felt more empathic with parents, more collaborative, and more effective and satisfied in their roles. FAN is a promising approach and practical tool to strengthen relationships between parents and professionals in EI.

“The Constant by Our Side”—Mothers' Experiences of Early Intervention Therapy Services for Infants With Emerging Signs of Complex Neurodevelopmental Difficulties Infants who require admission to a neonatal unit and who ultimately present with complex neurodevelopmental difficulties often require more sustained engagement with early intervention services during admission and beyond. However, there is little research exploring families' experiences of early intervention (EI) therapy received throughout a neonatal unit admission and continuing through transition into the community setting. This study was designed to explore parents' perceptions of EI therapy for infants with complex emerging neurodevelopmental difficulties. Using a descriptive qualitative approach, interviews were conducted with 6 mothers whose infants had been admitted to a neonatal unit and were receiving EI therapy services for their child. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed and then thematically analyzed. Four key themes emerged articulating the parent experiences during their evolving relationship with therapy providers in the neonatal unit and following discharge: (a) a vulnerable start—adjusting to the unexpected; (b) becoming a mother—becoming a family; (c) the therapy journey; and (d) a new reality. Attributes that enhanced the developing parent–provider relationship were identified including the importance of developing collaborative communication styles, supporting families in developing their expectations of the parent–provider relationship, and ensuring clarity in the nature, scope, and contribution of EI therapy to their child and overall family development. Early introduction of EI therapists during an infant's admission to a neonatal unit can serve to strengthen the parent–provider relationship by offering a support continuum during a vulnerable time.

Preparing Occupational Therapists for Effective Family-Centered Best Practice in Early Intervention The State University of New York (SUNY) Downstate's occupational therapy (OT) Program has worked over the last decade and a half providing advanced training in early intervention (EI) through 3 OT programs for practicing and preservice occupational therapists. There are many challenges in the preparation of entry-level practitioners to work effectively using family-centered best practices. This article describes a family partnership experience (FPE), which is part of SUNY Downstate's advanced training in EI. This article outlines the evolution of our FPE through 3 advanced training programs. In these FPEs, the OT students spend time with families who receive EI during their daily lives. Students complete assignments to identify the families' priorities and concerns, understand roles and routines, and assist families to access community resources. Through this FPE, students learn about the family's perspective. This article presents quantitative and qualitative data of the FPE through students' report in course evaluations, pre- and post–self-assessed competency, and informal interviews over the 3 higher education OT programs.

Finding a Common Lens: Competencies Across Professional Disciplines Providing Early Childhood Intervention The Early Childhood Personnel Center (ECPC) was funded by the Office of Special Education Programs at the U.S. Department of Education to provide technical assistance to State Systems of Early Childhood Intervention and Institutions of Higher Education on issues related to personnel development. One initiative of the ECPC has been to collaborate with professional organizations to identify core cross-disciplinary competencies for all personnel serving infants and young children aged birth through 5 years with disabilities and their families. Seven national organizations representing disciplines providing services in early childhood intervention have been participating in this initiative: the American Occupational Therapy Association; the American Physical Therapy Association; the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association; the Council for Exceptional Children and the Division for Early Childhood; the National Association for the Education of Young Children; and Zero to Three. Alignments of personnel standards, practice guidelines, and competencies yielded 4 areas of competence that are common across service providers serving infants and young children with disabilities and their families. These are: Collaboration and Coordination; Family-Centered Practice; Evidence-Based Practice; and Professionalism.