1. Sloan O’Malley Storie, Sondra Stegenga, & Jane Squires
 Advancing Early Childhood Transitions Through An Implementation Science Framework
Sloan O’Malley Storie, Sondra Stegenga, & Jane Squires
Shared Moments: Generalization of Parent-Implemented Joint Attention Intervention for Young Children with Autism
Introduction
IMPLEMENTATION SCIENCE
Table 1. Summary of NECTC Recommended Part C to Part B Transitions Practices by Targeted Support .
Interagency Systems
Child & Family Preparation & Adjustment
A primary contact person for transition is identified within each program or agency.
Staff know key information about a broad array of agencies & services available within the community.
Community- & program-wide transition activities & timeline are identified.
Individual child & family transition meetings are conducted.
Referral processes & timeline are clearly specified.
Families are aware of the importance of transition planning & have information they need to actively participate in transition planning with their child.
Enrollment processes & timelines are clearly identified.
Families’ needs related to transition are assessed & addressed.
Program eligibility processes & timelines are clearly delineated.
Families have information about & are linked with resources & services to help them.
Agencies develop formal mechanisms to minimize disruptions in services before, during, & after the transition of the child & family.
Families actively participate in gathering information about their child’s growth & development.
Staff & family members are actively involved in the design of transition processes & systems.
Transition team members share appropriate information about each child making a transition.
Families meaningfully participate as partners with staff in program- & community-wide transition planning efforts.
Staff follow-up on children after the transition to support their adjustment.
Conscious & transparent connections are made between curricula & child expectations across programs/environments.
Transition plans are developed that include individual activities for each child & family.
Children have opportunities to develop & practice skills they need to be successful in the next environment.
Methods are in place to support staff-to-staff communication both within & across programs.
Staff roles & responsibilities for transition activities are clearly delineated.
PLAN
Child Eligibility:
Engage with parents and provide resources (e.g., guidebook)
Provide coaching (role play) a transition meeting
Prevent the “insiders” to “outsiders” perceptions
Family Engagement:
Include parents in the selection of transition practices
Use authentic assessments (e.g., observations, interviews)
Transition Planning:
Involve parents as team members in the transition process
Take family needs and priorities into consideration DO
Implementation of Recommended Practices:
Get parental approval of recommended practices
Consider supports and resources needed to implement practices
STUDY
Reflection of Implementation:
Use reflective practices to examine what practices are working and how they can be improved
Engage with parents to understand their perspective
ACT
Collaborative Process Improvement:
Quickly and effectively make changes to the transition plan
Transitions: Culmination of pivotal changes between environment and services in the early years of a child’s life, and the practices used to support the child and their family as they move into a new setting (DEC recommended practices, 2014)
Transitions are a complex and multifaceted process (Fowler et al., ; Rosenkoetter, Hains, & Dogaru, 2007; Rosenkoetter, Schroeder, Rous, Hains, Shaw, & McCormick, 2009; Rosenkoetter, et al., 2001; Rous, Hallam, Harbin, McCormick, & Jung, 2007).
The transition from EI programs to preschool special education services is often difficult for families (Hanson et al., 2000) and unsupported by service providers (Podvey et al., 2010; Podvey et al., 2013).
Changes in service providers (e.g., EI provider to a preschool teacher), intervention approaches and styles (e.g., family- to child-centered), and expectations of the child (e.g., academic engagement, behavioral expectations), are part of what makes this transition so challenging (Hanson et al., 2000; Murphy et al., ).
Significant gaps between recommended practices and what occurs in the field.
Questions
Note. Adapted from Rous & The National Early Childhood Transition Center, 2009.
1. How have early childhood transitions (from Part C to Part B) evolved over time?
2. What strategies are being used to support the transition process?
3. How can we support and empower parents throughout the transition process?
FUTURE DIRECTIONS
Research:
Empirical studies on the use of recommended strategies
What works for whom under which conditions?
Sustainability of recommended practices
Practice:
Across agency training and professional development for pre- and in-service providers
Continuous monitoring and evaluation of transition practices
Policy:
Increased accountability
Linked data systems
CONTACT: Sloan Storie:
Method
Targeted Review of relevant literature was conducted through electronic databases.
Search Engines: Education Resources Information Center (ERIC), American Psychological Association (APA PsychNET), and hand searches.
Search Terms: Service, transition strat*, preschool, Part B, early child*, children, professional, related services, toddler, disability*, IDEA, pre-k*, transition, early interven*, and Part C
Inclusion Criteria: Study was conducted in the USA, written in English, and published between
references
Division for Early Childhood. (2014). DEC recommended practices in early intervention/early childhood special education 2014.
Fowler, S. A., Hains, A. H., & Rosenkoetter, S. E. (1990). The transition between early intervention and preschool services: Administrative and policy issues. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 9(4),
Hanson, M. J., Beckman, P. J., Horn, E., Marquart, J., Sandall, S. R., Greig, D., & Brennan, E. (2000). Entering preschool: Family and professional experiences in this transition process. Journal of Early Intervention, 23(4),
Murphy, M. A., McCormick, K. M., & Rous, B. S. (2013). Rural influence on the use of transition practices by preschool teachers. Rural Special Education Quarterly, 32(1),
Podvey, M. C., Hinojosa, J., & Koenig, K. (2010). The transition experience to pre-school for six families with children and disabilities. Occupational Therapy International, 17,
Podvey, M. C., Hinojosa, J., & Koenig, K. (2013). Reconsidering insider status for families during the transition from early intervention to preschool special education. The Journal of Special Education, 46(4),
Rosenkoetter, S., Hains, A. H., & Dogaru, C. (2007). Successful transitions for young children with disabilities and their families: Roles of school social workers. Children & Schools, 29(1),
Rosenkoetter, S., Schroeder, C., Rous, B., Hains, A., Shaw, J., & McCormick, K. (2009). A review of research in early childhood transition: Child and family studies. Technical Report #5. Lexington: University of Kentucky, Human Development Institute, National Early Childhood Transition Center.
Rosenkoetter, S. E., Whaley, K. T., Hains, A. H., & Pierce, L. (2001). The evolution of transition policy for young children with special needs and their families: Past, present, and future. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 21(1), 3-15.
Rous, B., Hallam, R., Harbin, G., McCormik, K., & Jung, L. A. (2007). The transition process for young children with disabilities: A conceptual framework. Infants and Young Children, 20(2),
Rous, B., & National Early Childhood Transition Center. (2009). Recommended and evidence based practice to support transition to inclusive settings.
Figure 1. Framework for implementing smooth transitions.
Storie, S. O., Stegenga, S., & Squires, J. (Under review). Advancing early childhood transitions through an implementation science framework.
Funded by US Department of Special Education Office of Special Education Programs HEART Leadership Grant #H325D150082