Early Intervention: A Routines-based Approach - Part 3: Changing The Mindset

Lifelong Learning and Ongoing Professional Development

In this section, the service providers discuss the importance of lifelong learning and ongoing professional development in expanding their knowledge and skills. They also emphasize the significance of hearing from other providers to support them on their journey.

Commitment to Lifelong Learning

• As early interventionists, it can be challenging to expand our knowledge and skills.

• A commitment to lifelong learning and ongoing professional development can guide this process.

Hearing from Other Providers

• Hearing from other providers can help support us on our journey.

Evolving Practices to a More Effective Routines-Based Approach

In this section, the service providers describe how they changed their mindset to evolve their practices to a more effective routines-based approach supporting families with infants and toddlers in early intervention.

Knowledge Required for Effective Early Intervention

• To evolve practices towards a more effective routines-based approach, one needs confidence in child development knowledge.

• One also needs knowledge of parenting skills, adult learning styles, and how best to work with an adult to help them learn how best to work with their child.

Switching from Medical Model to Family-Centered Model

• Making a switch from a medical model to a family-centered model is something that all early interventionists are slowly moving towards.

• It's not an immediate switch that therapists can make because even in training, therapeutic activities are often thought of as child-focused rather than family-focused.

Focus on Family Needs

• The focus has become much more family-focused rather than child-focused.

• The goal is now what does the family want?

Being Flexible and Confident Enough in Yourself

• It takes a leap of faith in yourself and your skills to evolve practices towards a more effective routines-based approach.

• Being in the moment with the family and being flexible enough to join them in activities that they find important is crucial.

• One has to be able to pull all their skills together and be confident enough in themselves that they know it's not going to be easy all the time.

Giving Up Clinical Role

• Giving up that clinical role can be tough, but it is also one of the unique and very rewarding parts of being an early interventionist.

Conclusion

In this section, the video series was developed by Virginia's Integrated Training Collaborative. The providers who shared their early intervention journey were thanked, as well as the many families who shared photos and videos of their beautiful children.

Acknowledgments

• This video series was developed by Virginia's Integrated Training Collaborative.

• The providers who shared their early intervention journey were thanked.

• A special thank you was given to the many families who shared photos and videos of their beautiful children.