Family-Centered Practice

Definition

Delivery of culturally competent and family responsive early childhood intervention that respects and facilitates a family’s active partnership and participation in the assessment, planning, implementation, and monitoring of the interventions delivered to their child and themselves.

Several people sitting around a table discussing a topic and taking notes

Indicators

  • Builds a relationship and a partnership with each child’s caregiving family to support their participation in their child’s intervention and learning
  • Support families in their caregiving role of their child
  • Uses effective communication (listening, speaking, writing) skills with all families across cultural, linguistic, and socioeconomic backgrounds
  • Includes the family in all components of the early childhood intervention service delivery process
  • Provides information, guidance, and education to families about child development and their child’s health and safety needs
  • Provides information, guidance, and education to families about regulations, policies, and procedures for eligibility, intervention, and transition under IDEA and other early childhood programs
  • Provides information, guidance, and education to families about early childhood intervention and inclusive service delivery models
  • Collaborates with the family to identify the family’s strengths, needs, concerns, and priorities
  • Refers families to resources and services to help them meet the needs of their child, their family, and themselves
  • Provides information to the family about parental rights and safeguards and how to advocate for themselves, their family, and their child

Case Study

Case studies illustrate the cross-disciplinary competencies and are for use by Higher Education faculty and Professional development staff.
Case Study Antonia - Family-Centered Practice