
What can I expect from Early Childhood Development Intervention Services?​
Your Developmental Interventionist (DI) will visit you in your home or at another convenient location in your community. The visits will be on a regular basis to provide support and information to promote your child’s growth and development. Together you and your Developmental interventionist will develop a plan to support your child and family called an Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP).
Early Intervention is based on the following principles…
· Children learn best in their natural environments where skills can be repeated and practiced during daily routines.
· Families are the primary agents of change in a child’s development. Long term, effective changes in development are the result of the decisions, efforts, and skills of a child’s family.
· Relationships form the foundation for all intervention (the parent-child relationship and the parent- professional relationship).
How we work…
Your Developmental Interventionist will be working with you (and other family members) to provide support to your family and assist your child in functioning to the best of his/her ability within his/her daily environments. Your Developmental Interventionist will provide three types of support:
· Informational Support – on your child’s condition, child development, resources, services and problem solving strategies
· Material Support – accessing equipment, supplies and financial resources
· Emotional Support – listening, being responsive and sensitive, using a positive strengths-based approach and focusing on the whole family
Our Developmental Interventionists…
Our Developmental Interventionists are professionals trained in working with families of young children with developmental delays. Developmental Interventionists are also a knowledgeable resource of what is available in your community and can help you navigate through local service systems.
Your Developmental Interventionist …
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will have conversations with you about:
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supports (those you already have and those that may be helpful for your family)
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daily routines and how your child is doing within those routines
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identifying your family & child’s strengths, concerns and priorities
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the steps to make a practical plan to address your family’s concerns and priorities (an Individual Family Service Plan)
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problem solving through daily challenges around your child’s development
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will work in partnership with you:
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and other service providers to ensure a coordinated team for your family
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to develop the skills to support your child's development
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to develop the skills to advocate for your child
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to provide consultation support to all your child’s environments such as child care centres
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to provide support and guidance through your child’s important transitions (e.g. to school)
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Our work…
Our work is with you, the parents/caregivers, as you build the skills and knowledge to support your child’s optimal development. Through our partnership we will work together with you to problem solve and build the capacities to support your child now and in the future.
The true change happens in the time between our visits as you care for and interact with your child during daily routines. Our work with your child will be in the form of modeling strategies, coaching your interactions and monitoring his/her developmental progress. Our primary work will be in supporting you and your family through conversations, resource sharing and skill building.