HOW TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH FAMILIES

INTERVENTIONIST TAKE TIME TO GET TO KNOW THE FAMILY  Each family is unique. It usually varies from person to person, what their definition of family is, and who they consider family. An Interventionist must consider many different types of family to get to know a family unit more in depth.

GETTING TO KNOW THE FAMILY  Some consider their direct blood line as their family for a more traditional family, others have a large extended family. People may only consider their immediate relatives as family. There are also blended families, families by adoption, some may include close friends or neighbors. Some live together and some do not.

GETTING TO KNOW THE FAMILY  Parents in these families may or may not be married. Some parents may be of the same sex. Children might have a single parent. It is the Interventionist’s job to find out what type of family they are working with.

GETTING TO KNOW THE FAMILY  Family structures are changing they are becoming more diverse  An Interventionist should respect a family’s cultural background and it would be helpful if they would become more cultural responsive it to get to know the family better. (Hooper & Umansky, 2014)

GETTING TO KNOW THE FAMILY  Some families could be facing financial hardships and emotional hardship from having a child with disabilities.  The EI should spend time in the family’s natural environment. The parents and child will feel more comfortable in this situation. They may open up more and make more progress towards goals in their own home.

GETTING TO KNOW THE FAMILY  Another way an EI can get to know the family is by providing support, being respectful, and by building a foundation of trust. The EI should incorporate all aspects of the family into their everyday practices.

FAMILIES ARE ACTIVELY INCLUDED IN PLANNING AND DECISION-MAKING  “EI practitioners should support families in knowing how to access further information about early intervention services and their parental rights.” (Hooper & Umansky, 2014, p. 141)  Parents may only have limited knowledge about their child’s disability and because of this they may feel like they have no rights to interfere with services.

FAMILIES ARE ACTIVELY INCLUDED  Families should be included in decision-making and planning for their child. The EI should encourage this participation and make sure the family has all required information and truly understands it.  Families usually know their child best, they have first- hand knowledge of their strengths and weaknesses.

FAMILIES ARE ACTIVELY INCLUDED  Families have influence on their child’s learning and development. (Hooper & Umansky, 2014)

FAMILIES ARE ACTIVELY INCLUDED  Families that have this influence, they can actually help the EI plan accordingly.  Caregivers can learn from other veteran families or support groups how they can be a bigger part of making decisions for their child and planning for them.

SERVICES AND SUPPORTS ARE DEVELOPED FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY  There are many supports available for the family  Some of these supports are professional supports  This includes:  The EI  Doctors and other medical personnel  Therapist

SERVICES AND SUPPORT  There are other peer support programs  Families can meet with other families in their area that also have a disabled child.  Families can gain emotional support and guidance in these style groups.  In a peer group, families can share knowledge and experiences with one another.  The group can help guide families in finding doctors, daycares, and other services.

SERVICES AND SUPPORT Families can also seek community supports and service s

SERVICES AND SUPPORTS  This includes many different organizations; the text book suggests:  Libraries  Childcare  Recreation centers  Churches  Museums

SERVICE AND SUPPORTS  Others sources in the community:  Social/Family Services  Counseling centers  Local businesses that accommodate the disabled  Children with disability sport leagues like baseball teams or basketball

SERVICES AND SUPPORT  Ask around! there are so many people and places in the community that provides offer friendly support to families that have children with disabilities. 

SERVICES AND SUPPORT  The Early Intervention is one of the biggest family supports  It requires coordination between services, referrals, and scheduling.  It involves doing assessments and evaluations  Helping find financial resources  Working with the whole family to provide support in all areas

FAMILY STRENGTHS ARE IDENTIFIED AND EMPHASIZED  “Family-centered service providers believe that all families have strengths that can contribute to their child’s learning and development.” (Hooper & Umansky, 2014, p. 132)  Parents used to be viewed as a party that hindered the progress of their child until recently.

FAMILY STRENGTHS  Some families have as many challenges as strengths  EI’s should try to build upon family’s strengths and promote positivity in the home

FAMILY STRENGTHS  EI’s should encourage great child-parent relationships and relationships with others in the household.  EI’s should provide emotional support, and encourage structure and rules in the home  The home environment should help the child have stability in their life.

REFERENCES PAGE  References  Hooper, S. R., & Umansky, W. (2014). Young Children with Special Needs (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.