Talking with Families About Their Child's Development
Explore this resource for strategies around talking with a family about their child's development to strengthen your partnerships.
Developmental Concerns
These resources support family service providers, home visitors, and other Head Start staff in engaging families when there are developmental concerns about their child. The resources address the initial conversations about screenings and developmental concerns and describe the referral and evaluation process. Engaging families in collaborative conversations about developmental concerns is more than just having a meeting or completing a form; it’s an ongoing process and an essential part of staff relationship with families.
Engaging with Families in Conversations About Sensitive Topics
Consider strategies for engaging families in conversations about sensitive topics, including developmental concerns.
Preparing for Challenging Conversations with Families
Explore ways to prepare and engage families when conversations include challenging topics.
Screening Children
This chapter focuses on how your program screens recently enrolled children with disabilities or suspected delays.
Referring and Evaluating Children
This chapter describes how to support families and their children through what is often an unfamiliar, and maybe scary, referral process.
Services for Children Who Do Not Qualify for IDEA
This vignette provides guidance for supporting children who do not qualify for Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) services.
Responding with Families to Developmental Concerns
Learn how to engage families when they have concerns that a child is at risk for a disability or developmental delay, communicating the benefits of screenings and providing support when children will need further evaluation.
Interim Services for Children with Disabilities or Suspected Delays
Learn more about the Head Start Program Performance Standards as they relate to interim services. Identify ways to put these standards into practice.
1302.42 Child health status and care.
This standard requires programs to ensure children have a source of health care, are up to date on their health status, and receive ongoing and extended follow-up care as needed.
Relationship-based Practices: Talking with Families About Developmental Concerns
In this interactive simulation, practice using relationship-based communications skills to raise and discuss concerns about a child’s development with the family.