Parents (N=3283) of infants and young children with or at-risk for developmental delays completed one of two surveys of learning opportunities, either in the home or in the community. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that both family and community life were each made up of 11 different categories of learning opportunities. Results support…

This article addresses issues in parent-child attachment, identifies the implications such attachment relations have for child development, and provides strategies to facilitate optimal parent-child attachment. Strategies for early child educators include speaking up and helping if awkward attachment relations are sensed and honoring and affirming…

This article explores components of family-centered care and challenges professionals encounter as they work with families in which abuse/neglect is suspected or is occurring. Strategies for working with families in a family-centered manner that promotes a sense of empowerment in family members, while ensuring the safety of children, are offered.…

Presents a training model that uses an interdisciplinary approach to train students from various disciplines to work as team members with families who have a disabled infant or toddler. Discusses the role of school social workers in providing leadership on teams and service coordination and in coordinating the continuum of care needed by a family.…

A survey of 73 early intervention service providers and 193 parents of infants/toddlers with disabilities was conducted to determine differences in perceptions of the level of service provided, the importance of the service, and ideal program components. Substantial family/provider discrepancies were found in perceptions of services being…

Offers caregivers several suggestions for easing late afternoon stress and crankiness of infants and toddlers. These include carbohydrate-rich snacks; change of environment; activities that focus on touch; parachute activities; gross motor activities; looking at photographs of family members; lengthening outdoor time in the afternoon; and…

This article discusses how clinicians can work with parents of young children with disabilities who may themselves have mental health disorders. Recommendations are provided for an initial approach to parents with mental health challenges, referral to psychiatric personnel, establishing trust and rapport, and sustaining a relationship with parents…

In this article, a mother shares her experience of learning that her son has autism. Coping with the diagnosis, along with the stresses of family life, are discussed, including the effect of the diagnosis on her marriage, which ended in divorce. The need to persist is emphasized. (CR)

Analysis of survey data on over 2,700 Puerto Rican mothers and infants living in the mainland United States examined the behavior of nonresident, cohabiting, and married fathers in terms of both financial contributions and participation in child care. The results highlight the critical role of employment in father's involvement. (Contains 42…

Investigates teachers' beliefs and attitudes on infant school classes in northern England. Reports on class size preferences and preferential treatment for some groups of children and teachers. Indicates that class size cannot be treated as unidimensional in its impact on the quality of teaching and learning. (CMK)

This article discusses the increasing population of children from diverse backgrounds and suggests commonsense methods for team development of cultural competence for the provision of appropriate early intervention services to linguistically and culturally diverse families. Recommendations for using interpreters and developing models for family…

A study investigated the performance of high- and low-risk (for child abuse) mothers on cognitive measures in a cry (crying infant) and no-cry condition. High-risk mothers had lower conceptual ability, cognitive flexibility, and problem-solving skills. The difficulty high-risk mothers have in using feedback to modify their behavior is discussed.…

Parents were trained to provide infants (n=4) with low muscle tone secondary to Down Syndrome with a home intervention oral motor training program. Four case studies indicate that all four children demonstrated improved oral motor function for eating, drinking, and speaking. (Contains references.) (DB)

This article presents the construction process and an analysis of the EPASSEI (European Parent Satisfaction Scale about Early Intervention). The 57-item scale is based on the ideological postulates of the manifest of EURLYAID. The answers of 584 European families indicate that in general, parents are satisfied with early intervention. (Contains…

A study documented and analyzed the attendance of 155 children (birth-36 months) in an inner city early intervention program as related to several factors, including demographic information, caregivers' perception of the child's disability, and the teaching staff's perception of a child's cognitive and motor disabilities. (Author/CR)