WK 3 Research that Benefits Children and Families "Early Intervention"

I read a research article that focused on families and children with a developmental delay or a diagnosed disability called “First Experiences With Early Intervention: A National Perspective.” This study focused on “families’ initial experiences in determining their child’s eligibility, interactions with medical professionals, efforts required to obtain services, participation in planning for services, satisfaction with services, and interactions with professionals.

It was exciting to read that more families interact with their medical professional than not, which shows that more families are concerned about their child’s development.   I was also excited to read that a very small number of families did not receive services right away.  This shows that families are concerned about their child’s development and the early intervention services is here to make sure children do not fall behind and get them ready for success.  There was a high percentage in family’s participating in planning with the professionals for services and would continue interacting with the professional and their child.  I have been in homes where a mother does not show interest in working with their own child and the only interaction that child gets is when I would come and work on the goals. 

Here is a chart of Percentage of children beginning early intervention services……..

 

The Chart below shows families and professionals working together……

 After reading I was glad to see that more families are concerned about their child’s developmental growth and works with their child when the professionals are not there to continue working on their child’s developmental growth goals.   I hope I am able to work with families that care about their child and not to many of the one’s I have worked with. 

WK2 My Personal Research Journey

Writing and researching about a topics has always been a struggle for me for as long as I can remember.  I have two things I would like to write about but have to narrow it down to one topic along with three subtopics. 

The first is learning more about my local Quality Rating Improvement Systems.  I would love to be able to provide information to child care centers (1) benefits in participating in a Quality Rating System, (2) ways to foster early childhood development, and (3) how others are or can invest in the quality care and education. I believe in a Quality Rating System and wish that my local child care centers would participate in which would provide the children quality care and education. 

The second big issue is, I thought about researching was about working with families to improve infants and toddlers developmental progress using every days's life experiences.  My subtopics for this topic was; (2) benefits in participating in an early intervention program like First Steps, (2) ways to involve families in the developmental process, and (3) how your daily routines can foster child development.

I feel both topics and subtopics are still to broad and not sure which topic to choose.  WHAT DO YOU THINK?

EDUC 6163 Wk 1 Hello

Hello to All in EDUC 6163.  For the next 8 weeks I look forward to reading everyone's blogs.

WK 8 International Early Childhood Education

The past eight weeks has been great experience learning about how others around the world feel the same way we do about early childhood education.  I have really enjoyed reading my classmates blogs and all the information they have given has been helpful. 

 

Here is what I see, 3 Consequences of learning about the international early childhood field for my professional and personal development…

Ø  Establishing International Connections because I had the hardest time trying to connect with someone around the world internationally and still was not able to contact anyone.
Ø  Increasing awareness because the US struggles to provide early childhood education so does other countries around the world and with poverty being the first signs that a child will struggle in their education if they don’t start getting the education or interventions early on.
Ø   Expanding our knowledge or interest in the early childhood field not only in our back yard but around the world.  International children are in a bigger need for early childhood education due to higher poverty.

My goal is to learn more about early childhood around the world and still continue trying to get in contact with someone around the around the world. 

Week 7: Alternative Part 3

All early childhood programs that are in a public school or child care centers should put the child’s holistic development and go beyond in assisting a child in their developmental progress.  Having high quality programs also will promote motivation, confidence, cognitive and linguistic development along with school readiness. 

Therefore, I decided to research the site and look more into the Early Childhood tab.  After reading the access and equity, it shows that we are not alone as in trying to provide the best early childhood education for all children.  We all have agreed that learning starts at birth and we also know that the underprivileged children need the benefits to early childhood care and education. 

The site stated……

“Participating countries committed themselves to “expanding and improving comprehensive early childhood care and education, especially for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children.” Governments were particularly urged to expand equitable access to quality early childhood services underscoring the importance of instituting policy in favor of the poor……….Countries often promote alternative services for poor children with limited or no access to mainstream early childhood services which can be cost-effective and pedagogically innovative, but often raise concerns about sustainability and quality. In cases where the government has limited resources, a pro-poor policy can redistribute resources by reducing state support for the more privileged……Central governments must ensure an equitable distribution of resources among different populations and especially those who live in the most disadvantaged regions. This approach aims to expand access without creating serious regional inequities. However, where there is universal provision for a certain age group while the overall enrolment in other age groups is low, this policy can create inequity…..Privileged children of the target age group benefit from state investment, while poor children of non-target ages receive scant government attention. A policy of universalising with targeting can minimize inequity where governments aim for universal access among the target age group, but simultaneously priorities the poor.”

 It amazed me how many others actually believe in early childhood care and education and the benefits it brings for all children and their future. I look forwarding to seeing the day Kentucky finally sets in place the :Universal Preschool" that they have talked about doing for years. 

 

Sharing Web Resources: Zero to Three

Looking more into the Zero to Three website...

Clicking on a link Early Head Start at the bottom of the page; it took me to the Early Head Start National Resource Center ( http://www.ehsnrc.org/ ).  This link provides resources, journals, Webcasts, and tips to working with children birth to three years of age.  Looking further into the Tip Sheets they provided information on three different categories....

·         Child Development & Early Learning
       o   Tip Sheet #27: Screening Infants’/Toddlers’ Behavioral Skills… Link below…
   §  http://www.ehsnrc.org/Publications/English%20Tip%20Sheets/TIP_SHEET_27.PDF

·         Family Engagement & Relationships
   o   Tip Sheet #34: Working with Teen Parents…Link below…
   §  http://www.ehsnrc.org/Publications/English%20Tip%20Sheets/TIP_SHEET_34.PDF

·         Health, Safety & Nutrition
   o   Tip Sheet #28: Secondhand Smoke and Early Head Start…link below…
   §  http://www.ehsnrc.org/Publications/English%20Tip%20Sheets/TIP_SHEET_28.PDF

This site also appreciates our feedback on the information and/or resources they offer to the public.  I enjoyed reading about Tip sheet #34: Working with Teen Parents because I was a teen mom.  It was nice to read that they offer classes and/or training to employees to help understanding teen parents and help teen parents by providing information on juggling school and baby.  This give the staff the abilities to help and deal with sensitive issues and concerns with teen parents.   

 

WK 5 Alternative "Center on the Developing Child - Harvard University"

Last week was my final attempt to reach someone in another country had failed therefore I am doing the alternative assignment.
The Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University has just launched the Global Children’s Initiative and is focused on three strategic objectives:
         * To reframe public discourse about the early childhood period by educating high-level decision makers about the common underlying science of learning, behavior, and health
        
         * To support innovative, multidisciplinary research and demonstration projects in selected countries or regions to expand global understanding of how healthy development happens, how it can be derailed, and how to get it back on track
         
          * To build leadership capacity in child development research and policy among individuals and institutions in low and middle income countries in order to increase the number and influence of diverse perspectives that are contributing to the global movement on behalf of young children

The Global Children’s Initiative is building a portfolio of activities in three domains:

Early Childhood Development

* Assessing quality in early childhood environments and programs in diverse global contexts

* Piloting assessments to measure child development outcomes linked to malaria control strategies in Zambia

            * Expanding effective interventions to improve preschool quality in Chile

Mental Health
            * Assessing the state of child mental health services in China

* Developing and evaluating family-based strategies to prevent mental health problems in children affected by HIV/AIDS in Rwanda

            * Addressing child maltreatment and mental health outcomes in three Caribbean nations (Barbados, the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, and Suriname

Children in Crisis and Conflict Situations

* Exploring comparable approaches to surveying child status in post-earthquake Haiti and Chile

           * Bringing the science of child development into strategies for addressing acute malnutrition