Engaging Families: Engaging Families: A Critical Link for Inclusive Early A Critical Link for Inclusive Early LearningLearning

Engaging Families: Engaging Families: A Critical Link for Inclusive Early A Critical Link for Inclusive Early LearningLearningInclusion in the Early Years: Inclusion in the Early Years:

Promising Practices SymposiumPromising Practices Symposium

Barb Reid, The GRIT ProgramBarb Reid, The GRIT Program(Getting Ready for Inclusion Today)(Getting Ready for Inclusion Today)

January 20, 2012January 20, 2012

Inclusion in the Early Years: Inclusion in the Early Years:

Promising Practices SymposiumPromising Practices Symposium

Barb Reid, The GRIT ProgramBarb Reid, The GRIT Program(Getting Ready for Inclusion Today)(Getting Ready for Inclusion Today)

January 20, 2012January 20, 2012

15 minutes at a glance…15 minutes at a glance… 15 minutes at a glance…15 minutes at a glance…

• Valuing the role of family

•Strengthening families skills and confidence

•The influence of a parent’s vision statement

•Link to quality inclusion and family wellness

• Valuing the role of family

•Strengthening families skills and confidence

•The influence of a parent’s vision statement

•Link to quality inclusion and family wellness

Prepared by: Barb Reid, The GRIT Program, Edmonton

Family Centered Practice isFamily Centered Practice is

a a processprocess that links that links

behaviors of professionals with behaviors of professionals with outcomesoutcomes for families for families

(Outcomes= positive traits/ strengths)(Outcomes= positive traits/ strengths)

Family Centered Practice isFamily Centered Practice is

a a processprocess that links that links

behaviors of professionals with behaviors of professionals with outcomesoutcomes for families for families

(Outcomes= positive traits/ strengths)(Outcomes= positive traits/ strengths)

What do we do? What do we do? (Dunst & Trivette (Dunst & Trivette

2004)2004)What do we do? What do we do? (Dunst & Trivette (Dunst & Trivette

2004)2004)

• AdoptAdopt - - Beliefs and Value StatementsBeliefs and Value Statements

• ApplyApply - - Actions and behaviors to Actions and behaviors to demonstrate your values (“walk the demonstrate your values (“walk the talk”)talk”)

• AdhereAdhere - - Reflection on effectivenessReflection on effectiveness

• AdoptAdopt - - Beliefs and Value StatementsBeliefs and Value Statements

• ApplyApply - - Actions and behaviors to Actions and behaviors to demonstrate your values (“walk the demonstrate your values (“walk the talk”)talk”)

• AdhereAdhere - - Reflection on effectivenessReflection on effectiveness

Everything we “do” either enhances or diminishes family strengtheningand capacity building

prepared by: Barb Reid, The GRIT Program, Edmonton

RelationshipRelationship leads to increase leads to increase parent participation.parent participation.

ParticipationParticipation leads to family leads to family

strengthening/ capacity buildingstrengthening/ capacity building (twice the influence. Dunst & Trivette, 2005)(twice the influence. Dunst & Trivette, 2005)

RelationshipRelationship leads to increase leads to increase parent participation.parent participation.

ParticipationParticipation leads to family leads to family

strengthening/ capacity buildingstrengthening/ capacity building (twice the influence. Dunst & Trivette, 2005)(twice the influence. Dunst & Trivette, 2005)

Strengthening parents skills, confidence and family well-being

Strengthening parents skills, confidence and family well-being

Learning goals chosen by family: (FOS)

•Child development, diagnosis, community resources,

Goals identified by others: (chosen by family)•Long-term Outcomes: Interactions/ responsiveness, active team member, effective communication, advocacy, vision, quality of family life etc.

Learning goals chosen by family: (FOS)

•Child development, diagnosis, community resources,

Goals identified by others: (chosen by family)•Long-term Outcomes: Interactions/ responsiveness, active team member, effective communication, advocacy, vision, quality of family life etc.

How? ProcessHow? Process

1. Home Visits

•Embed learning in natural routines, strength- based coaching model, reflective practice (Adapted from: Early Intervention Home-Visiting Principles in Practice: A Reflective Approach. Bonnie Keilty, Young Exceptional Children, Vol. 11, No. 2, March 2008)

•Looking Ahead Resource - Three years of early learning, at a glance, and beyond…

1. Home Visits

•Embed learning in natural routines, strength- based coaching model, reflective practice (Adapted from: Early Intervention Home-Visiting Principles in Practice: A Reflective Approach. Bonnie Keilty, Young Exceptional Children, Vol. 11, No. 2, March 2008)

•Looking Ahead Resource - Three years of early learning, at a glance, and beyond…

2. Honoring families journey2. Honoring families journey

Parent 2 Parent Support• Navigation through resources /supports Alberta

Health, Human Services, Education

• Barriers to inclusion - Finding a shared understanding with professionals

• Transition from home, community, school

• Informed decision making, life-long advocacy

• Added fatigue, stress and employment issues

Parent 2 Parent Support• Navigation through resources /supports Alberta

Health, Human Services, Education

• Barriers to inclusion - Finding a shared understanding with professionals

• Transition from home, community, school

• Informed decision making, life-long advocacy

• Added fatigue, stress and employment issues

3. Parent Vision and Voice 3. Parent Vision and Voice

Inspiring Inclusive Futures

“If you don’t know where you are going…you will likely end up

someplace else”

Inspiring Inclusive Futures

“If you don’t know where you are going…you will likely end up

someplace else”

Sharing a Vision Statement - Inclusion in Home, Community and School

Sharing a Vision Statement - Inclusion in Home, Community and School

A vision statement :• A positive intention for the future• A message to inform and strengthen knowledge of others• A statement to provide clarity of roles and responsibilities (how we

will work together)• May improve access/ use of resources and support • An educational tool to measure meaningful inclusion

A vision statements speaks from the heart of a parent with an intent to move vision into action

A vision statement :• A positive intention for the future• A message to inform and strengthen knowledge of others• A statement to provide clarity of roles and responsibilities (how we

will work together)• May improve access/ use of resources and support • An educational tool to measure meaningful inclusion

A vision statements speaks from the heart of a parent with an intent to move vision into action

Outcomes for families and child Outcomes for families and child (Dunst, Trivette, Snyder, 2005)(Dunst, Trivette, Snyder, 2005)

Outcomes for families and child Outcomes for families and child (Dunst, Trivette, Snyder, 2005)(Dunst, Trivette, Snyder, 2005)

Greater parental satisfaction with servicesGreater parental satisfaction with services

Increase likelihood of positive home and school Increase likelihood of positive home and school relationsrelations

Increased family well-being Increased family well-being

Increased parent confidence and competence:Increased parent confidence and competence:• regarding their child’s development regarding their child’s development • See the strengths and abilities of their childSee the strengths and abilities of their child• to be responsive in supporting their child’s to be responsive in supporting their child’s

learninglearning• to positively influence the future for their child to positively influence the future for their child

and familyand family Better overall outcomes for the child Better overall outcomes for the child

Greater parental satisfaction with servicesGreater parental satisfaction with services

Increase likelihood of positive home and school Increase likelihood of positive home and school relationsrelations

Increased family well-being Increased family well-being

Increased parent confidence and competence:Increased parent confidence and competence:• regarding their child’s development regarding their child’s development • See the strengths and abilities of their childSee the strengths and abilities of their child• to be responsive in supporting their child’s to be responsive in supporting their child’s

learninglearning• to positively influence the future for their child to positively influence the future for their child

and familyand family Better overall outcomes for the child Better overall outcomes for the child

prepared by: Barb Reid, The GRIT Program, Edmonton

Take home messages…Take home messages…Take home messages…Take home messages…

• Trusting relationships take time to establish.

• Natural family routines support responsiveness and flexibility to family requests/ desires (action beyond active listening).

• Process: Professionals enhance or diminish family strengthening and capacity.

• Active parent participation strongest influence of family capacity building.

• Parent choice- Honor and respect knowledge, strengths,

and growth of each family/ child.

• Trusting relationships take time to establish.

• Natural family routines support responsiveness and flexibility to family requests/ desires (action beyond active listening).

• Process: Professionals enhance or diminish family strengthening and capacity.

• Active parent participation strongest influence of family capacity building.

• Parent choice- Honor and respect knowledge, strengths,

and growth of each family/ child.