Mary Grady URL Blog: http://gradylmary.blogspot.com
MODULE 3: Blog Journal
Advocacy 411: Early Intervention
Name: Interacting with Professionals/Administrators and your Advocacy Plan
Date: February 11, 2012
Name of the Program: St. Vincent DePaul Child Care Center
Continuing my interaction with professionals and administrators at my program has been so enlighten and I have gained so much information. After my interviews I really have made up my mind to be an advocate for Early Intervention. I attended a work shop on Early Intervention at the Chicago Metro AEYC (Association for the Education of Young Children) conference. The name of the work shop was Early Intervention; The Sooner We Start, The Further They’ll GO; Patricia Singler, LIC Coordinator, Easter Seals Metro Chicago/Child & Family Connections. I received pamphlets and information I can use in my paper.
By talking to administers and social services workers I find another way that could lead to a more accurate assessment of young children, if the screener or tester would spend time prior to administering the assessment familiarizing themselves with the child and giving somewhat of a summary of the child developmental growth from the teachers. I realize this is not always possible, so another option I would advocate for would be to have the screeners provide teachers and parents with a tip-sheet that will help children to feel comfortable with the process.
One of my administrators said she advocacy for El issues through education and reminding all concerns parties about the need for accountability. I agree with her everyone needs to be accountable for their actions. With this being said I feel educational advocate activities should revolve around both parents and teachers. With us being mandated we must realize the importance of being accountable to young children and their families. Being accountable to me means that as a advocate of EI, early childhood professionals must ensure that all concerns stake holders; parents, teachers, social workers and therapists are kept well informed regarding issues as they relate to EI and that we are transparent in our interaction with all concerns stake holders and we are willing to collaborate with others agencies.
I plan on educating myself more about EI. For example there is a booklet called The Illinois Early Intervention Program: A Guide for Families which is published by The State of Illinois Department of Human Services, I will attend workshops and reading of many pamphlets, materials on Early Intervention. Once I have educated myself I will ask and have conversations with other childcare professionals in the field and keep being an advocate for the cause. I will address issues concerning EI by researching information and taking it the right source at my center. To become more involved with current advocacy programs in my setting I will established a good relationship with my parents, with this relationship I can make a positive impact on how they view EI. The difference I would like to make in my community and the field of early childhood education is a positive one impacting the opinions that educators, parents and developing children as well as the society has on EI and the developing of children.
Hi Mary,
ReplyDeleteIs the place you are doing your internship also your work place? I am doing my internship elsewhere and think I would be more vested if it were at my place of employment.
What kind of early intervention services does your program offer? Do you collaborate with outside services to perform assessments and evaluations for early intervention?
Good luck with your research.
Mary,
ReplyDeleteI am so happy to see someone doing something about EI. I work for Head Start and they are trying to tell us that our program and other programs do not work for children. What do you think about this and how do you plan to be more involved?
Betheny I really believe EI works because I can see how the service at my center has helped many of our children. I plan on helping my center to advocate for more money for this program we are planning a march on the capital of my state in March, I plan on being there.
Deleteyes the place I am doing my internship is the place I work. I am so glad because I can talk to people I know and other outside people. I did this because there is a few things we need to put in place for early intervention at the center. Our service is done through the public school system. Yes we do collaborate with outside service but we do the assessment process with the children.
ReplyDeleteI agree that early intervention is the key to a child's success. I have seen it make huge differences, first hand and am a part of the early intervention process for our area by being a Child Find Coordinator. I went to a training that was provided by the state of Colorado's EI program. You might check and see if there is one offered in your area. The training was free for me and provided a great deal of information on the benefits of early childhood intervention.
ReplyDeleteYes we will be attending a workshop on Early intervention in March.
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