The impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on families of young children with disabilities is well documented; however, there is little published research on the experiences of pediatricians and Part C Early Intervention (EI) personnel during the pandemic. This study examined the collective experiences of general pediatricians and Part C EI…

The Global Research Agenda for Children with Disabilities (the Research Agenda) is a strategic framework that identifies priority research areas -- defined through a global research prioritization exercise -- to close critical evidence gaps, inform inclusive policies and programmes, and guide effective investments that support children with…

The Division for Early Childhood (DEC) collaborates with the Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education (EI/ECSE) community and allied partners to create resources (such as publications like Young Exceptional Children [YEC] and The Journal of Early Intervention [JEI] and products like The DEC Recommended Practices and Learning Decks)…

This research aims to better understand childcare and early years provision among providers caring for children aged 0 to 4 with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and those working in deprived areas. This research involved: (1) in-depth quantitative analysis of data collected in the 2023 childcare and early years provider survey;…

Secure attachment has broad and long-lasting benefits for the development and wellbeing of a child. Conversely, disorganized attachment is associated with social, emotional, and behavioral problems in children, and later psychopathology. Children with a developmental delay or disability (DD) may be at greater risk of insecure or disorganized…

Background: South Africa has migrated the responsibility for early childhood development (ECD) centres from the Department of Social Services to the Department of Basic Education. This functional shift has ushered in consultations and discussions on how best to implement ECD, including opportunities the change may bring. Aim: By anchoring the…

This report includes guidance, considerations, and resources for state staff and local practitioners who are determining Part C eligibility remotely. As a result of COVID-19, many states are having to determine a child's eligibility for Part C services remotely using a variety of approaches such as teleconference, videoconference, and sharing…

The movement toward collaborative models of preservice early childhood preparation, those that attempt to "blend" preparation for both early childhood education (ECE) and early intervention/early childhood special education (EI/ECSE), is entering its fourth decade. This position paper presents a historical analysis of the blended…

Much has been written about the challenges of effective transition planning (e.g., Cavendish & Connor, 2018; Landmark etal., 2007; Luft, 2015). In this article, ways to mitigate some of these common challenges are provided, including low or passive student and family involvement, unresponsiveness to family culture, poor communication between…

The transition from early intervention to early childhood special education programs is one of five key changes or transitions in the early childhood years. This transition involves a change in service systems from Part C to Part B of IDEA (2004), which involves a shift in the philosophy and service delivery models between the two systems (Hanson…

Inclusion is central to work in early intervention and early childhood special education (EI/ECSE) and reflected in the core beliefs and recommended practices of the field (Division for Early Childhood [DEC], 2014). Inclusion, according to the joint statement of the DEC and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (2009), means…

A non-concurrent multiple baseline design across four early intervention providers was used to examine functional relations between job-embedded professional development (PD), including practice-based coaching (PBC), and providers' fidelity of implementation of home visiting practices for embedded intervention. Four providers with one to two…

Several types of professionals support families of young children with disabilities as they navigate the early intervention and early childhood special education systems (EI/ECSE). Medical professionals are often the first to discuss service provision with families, while EI/ECSE providers are responsible for evaluating, determining eligibility,…

Early math skills predict later academic achievement and are of critical importance in preschool. There also are discrepancies in early math skills of preschoolers with disabilities compared with their typically developing peers. We used an experimental single-case research design, multiple probe across skills, to investigate the effectiveness of…

The annual National Deaf-Blind Child Count is the world's first and longest running count of children who are deaf-blind. Begun in 1986 on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education, it represents a collaborative effort between the National Center on Deaf-Blindness (NCDB) and state deaf-blind projects throughout the country, including those in the…