Team Perspectives on Inclusion in Early Head Start

and Child Care

OSEP National Early Childhood ConferenceFebruary 7, 2005

Linda Brekken and Rob Corso - Hilton/Early Head Start

Training Program

Kenny Goode, Regina Henderson

Jessica Nuhibian Boisvert

AgendaAgenda

• Overview of Early Head Start and the Hilton/Early Head Start Training Program

• SpecialQuest Graduates’ Experiences • Model and Stories - Family/Service

Provider Collaboration and Leadership• Video - In Concert• Discussion• What We’ve Learned

Early Head StartEarly Head Start

• Over 700 Early Head Start programs nationally serve pregnant women, infants and toddlers across the country

• EHS programs serve 77,000 families• 4 Cornerstones of Services

1. Infants and Toddler Development2. Family Development3. Staff Development4. Community Development

Infants and Toddlers Infants and Toddlers with Disabilitieswith Disabilities

Infants and toddlers with disabilities are

those from birth to three years, as identified

under the Part C Program (Individuals with

Disabilities Act) in their state.

45 CFR 1304.3(a)(2)

HSPS 1305.6 (c)HSPS 1305.6 (c)

At least 10% of enrollment opportunities in

EHS/MSHS programs must be available to

infants and toddlers with disabilities.

Hilton/Early Head Start Hilton/Early Head Start Training Training

ProgramProgram

FactsFacts AboutAbout the Programthe Program

• Public-private partnership between

the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation

and the Head Start Bureau.

• Purpose: to augment learning

opportunities for Early Head Start staff and families in

serving infants and toddlers with disabilities and their

families.

SpecialQuestsSpecialQuests

• Intensive, interactive learning experiences, using a sequential, skill-building curriculum, spanning 4 days

• Teams from each EHS/MSHS grantee annually participate in regional SpecialQuests over the course of 4 years

SpecialQuestsSpecialQuests

• A Learning Coach works with

each team during SpecialQuests in

developing goals

• Learning Coaches provide on-site

follow-up to support implementation

SpecialQuest TeamsSpecialQuest Teams

• Family members of children with disabilities

• Early Intervention partners

• EHS administrators

• EHS disabilities staff

• EHS teachers or home visitors

• Child care partners

• Head Start partners

Hilton/Early Head Start Hilton/Early Head Start Training Program ModelTraining Program Model

• Team-based• Training over time• Intensive learning opportunities• Supportive follow-up• Continuous improvement

Goal: To create change in communities for the

inclusion of infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families.

SpecialQuest GraduatesSpecialQuest Graduates

• Phase I - 240 SpecialQuest teams “graduated” from 4 years of training and follow up support

• Phase II - 48 Ambassadors selected from graduate teams

• Ambassadors are leaders and advocates for the inclusion of children with disabilities and their families, who are continuing the quest, in and beyond their own communities.

Ambassador StoriesAmbassador Stories

Kenny Goode - Family Member - Champaign, Ill.

Regina Henderson - EHS Director - San Marcos, TX

Jessica Nuhibian Boisvert - Early Intervention Director - West Roxbury, MA

The Goode FamilyThe Goode Family

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (LZW) decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

Build RelationshipsBuild Relationships

Gather Information Gather Information and Resourcesand Resources

Develop Collaborative Develop Collaborative PlansPlans

Implement Collaborative Implement Collaborative Plans Plans

Collaborative LeadershipCollaborative Leadership

Ultimate Goal:

Families are informed decision-makers and participate as leaders for their family, program and community in partnership with service providers.

In Concert In Concert

As you watch the video - please note examples of how families and service providers worked together -

• Building Relationships• Gathering Information and Resources• Developing Collaborative Plans• Implementing Plans Together

Small Group DiscussionSmall Group Discussion

• As a group, briefly introduce yourselves • Identify strategies that you observed in the video

for

– Building Relationships– Gathering Information and Resources– Developing Collaborative Plans– Implementing Collaborative Plans

• Identify effective strategies that you have used to support collaborative, inclusive services in your community

Share BackShare Back

One great idea or strategy that you discussed in your small group

www.specialquest.orgwww.specialquest.org

280 + EHS Programs currently participating

240 EHS programs graduated from 4 years

of SpecialQuest

48 SpecialQuest Ambassadors have been selected

Resources and Links

Evaluation data

What we have learned from What we have learned from SpecialQuest GraduatesSpecialQuest Graduates

• EHS programs increased the number of children with disabilities served

• Programs developed strategies to support family advocacy and leadership

• EHS/MSHS staff increased their comfort and confidence in serving infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families

• Collaboration between Early Head Start and Early Intervention resulted in increased services to families.

• Teams shared the training with others in their community

Impact of Collaboration Impact of Collaboration on EHS / EIon EHS / EI

• More referrals made/ accepted between EHS and EI

• Increased awareness in community

– Of needs of children with disabilities

– Of EHS as an appropriate place to serve infants and toddlers with disabilities

• More resources available for families

• More access to staff training and professional development opportunities for EHS and EI staff

• Increase in EHS staff comfort, confidence and skills in serving infants and toddlers with disabilities—including significant disabilities—and their families.

• Steamlined paperwork for families

• Co-Service Coordination between EHS and EI leading to improved service delivery for families

What we have learnedWhat we have learned

Challenges remain:• Families report difficulty accessing services

• Early Intervention staff not referring children with more significant disabilities to EHS programs

• Part C providers unclear about EHS services and

eligibility criteria. • EHS programs must have a wait list

• Fear of “overwhelming” families with multiple providers

Ambassador/Graduate Stories Ambassador/Graduate Stories

– Received 203 stories to date (out of 240)

– 35% of SQ teams continue to meetHow Often Does the SpecialQuest Team Meet?

Weekly8%

Monthly40%

Quareterly26%

Semi-anrually26%

Ambassador/Graduate StoriesAmbassador/Graduate Stories

71% of graduate teams continue to work on their 5 Year Plan or have infused this plan into the overall Agency plan

Still Working on the 5 Year Plan

no21%

yes71%

no reponse8%

Ambassador/Graduate StoriesAmbassador/Graduate Stories

97% indicated desire for continued contact

– 57% - state/regional conference

– 42% - email

– 26% - Teleconferences

– 27% - Listservs

Ambassador/Graduate StoriesAmbassador/Graduate Stories

SpecialQuest has improved services to infants and toddlers with disabilities in a number of ways including through the wonderful training process urging us to always remain on the Quest. Our program has used the training materials not only for Disabilities Services but we have also broadened the use of the Goal Sheets across our whole Early Head Start Program. Early Head Start has partnered with Part C (Early On) to serve as Service Coordinators. We are still working on our 5-year plan.

Ambassador/Graduate StoriesAmbassador/Graduate Stories

SpecialQuest gave us direction and increased our services to be what we could and should be doing. It also helped to build us into a team for serving families with infants and toddlers with disabilities. Our county services have developed and evolved into a comprehensive and inclusive system of services for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families. We have developed from an overly anxious team of service providers into a confident and competent team. We continue to monitor our plan to keep what we have achieved in place.