Early Intervention - Parent/Caregiver Coaching
Early intervention (EI) is the process of providing services and supports to infants, toddlers, and their families when a child has, or is at risk for, a developmental delay, disability, or health condition that may affect typical development and learning. (ASHA https://www.asha.org/practice-portal/professional-issues/early-intervention/)
A child’s developmental needs can be best addressed when they are identified early and services can begin (Guralnick, 2011; Parlakian, 2018).
Early Intervention Parent/Caregiver Coaching
This service is appropriate for:
- Families who are concerned about their child's communication development and choose to go through their insurance or pay out of pocket for services.
- Parents/caregivers who would like support in addition to the state funded EI services they are already receiving; and use private insurance or pay out of pocket for sessions.
- Children up to 4 years. State funded EI programs end once a child turns 3.
Please visit our FAQ page for details regarding costs. Please note that EI services are free though your local regional centers for families with children under three years of age, visit https://kernrc.org/getting-started/early-start/ for more information.
The Process
1. Book a Consultation - Your consultation will help determine if services are the best course of treatment and/or help guide you to the most appropriate services.
2. Schedule an Evaluation - Evaluations are typically 60-90 minutes. All evaluations are done via Telehealth.
3. Build a Treatment Program - Following an evaluation, if your child is demonstrating needs in the area of communication, we will work together to build a treatment program. All programs are based on:
- Family centered goals
- Supports the child's success in their natural environment
- Collaboration with other service providers
- The most effective research based strategies integrated into daily routines.
4. Schedule Regular Telehealth Sessions - Sessions are typically scheduled weekly or every other week. This gives you time work on the strategy covered in the previous session. Sessions are 50 minutes.
What is a Parent/Caregiver Coaching Model?
Parent/Caregiver Coaching teaches primary caregivers the 'why' and 'how' to use evidenced based language-building strategies during everyday activities and interactions with their child.
Research has shown that parents and primary caregivers have the greatest impact a child’s early language, social and literacy skills. This integrated model of therapy helps to build a child’s communication with the most important people in their lives and in the home environment.
How does Parent Coaching work via telehealth?
The parent/caregiver coaching model lends itself well to telehealth services. Following the assessment, we discuss the structure of sessions in more detail, but this is the general format:
Your child must be in the sessions, however it will be you and I talking most of the time.
- We find a strategy that will be the most effective for your child's language development and the easiest to immediately implement into daily routines.
- During sessions I explain the 'why' behind the strategy, provide models for 'how' to utilize it, and then give guidance as primary caregivers practice using this strategy in the session.
- Each session we check-in and discuss how the strategy is going.
- You can think of this process like building a home. We start with a strategy that will be the foundation and build from there.