ERIC Number: EJ952499
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2008-Jun
Pages: 10
Abstractor: ERIC
Reference Count: 19
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1096-2506
Providing Individually Responsive Home Visits
Ridgley, Robyn; O'Kelley, Kim
Young Exceptional Children, v11 n3 p17-26 Jun 2008
Home visiting is a common method of providing early intervention services to families. The reason home visitors in early intervention programs begin working with a young child and his or her family is usually because the child has a developmental delay, diagnosed disability, or is at risk for developing a delay. It seems reasonable for a home visitor to focus on the child's development, because the child's developmental needs prompt early intervention services for the family. However, current thinking in the field of early intervention is that home visits should focus more broadly on the family, acknowledging their concerns, current support systems, and activities. Many families receiving early intervention services have multiple concerns and priorities. Some are related to the child's developmental needs. Other concerns, although related to the child, are less directly related to the child's development. Home visitors must consider how to plan and complete home visits that respond to each family's unique situation. This article outlines a process for creating individually responsive home visits that are focused on: (1) the child "and" family; (2) daily routines rather than isolated opportunities for children to practice skills; and (3) the exchange of information between the family and home visitor. This process includes three basic steps: (1) learning from families; (2) using what one learns to guide intervention; and (3) following up regularly. (Contains 2 tables.)
Descriptors: Early Intervention, Home Visits, Developmental Delays, Young Children, Family Programs, Guides, Family Involvement, Planning, Parent Participation, Disabilities
SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: http://sagepub.com
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Early Childhood Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers: N/A

Peer reviewed
Direct link
