Abstract
This study explored parents’ perceptions regarding early intervention (EI) services. More specifically, families’ responses to individual items on the Family Outcome Survey-Revised (FOS-R) were evaluated and are discussed. Based on purposive sampling technique, previously collected data were obtained from six states. A total of 3,945 cases were included in the final data set for analysis. Results indicate that, in general, parents have positive perceptions of the EI program’s benefits. However, significant differences were detected in parents’ responses across lead agencies, suggesting that lead agencies’ governing departments influence parents’ experiences with the program. To create a system that provides similar benefits and opportunities for families across states, stakeholders and policymakers could utilize this study to identify the factors that produce differences in parents’ experiences from state to state.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bailey, D. B., Bruder, M. B., Hebbeler, K., Carta, J., Defosset, M., Greenwood, C., Kahn, L., Mallik, S., Markowitz, J., Spiker, D., Walker, D., & Barton, L. (2006). Recommended outcomes for families of young children with disabilities. Journal of Early Intervention, 28(4), 227–251. https://doi.org/10.1177/105381510602800401
Bailey, D. B., Raspa, M., & Fox, L. C. (2012). What is the future of family outcomes and family-centered services? Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 31(4), 216–223. https://doi.org/10.1177/0271121411427077
National Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center. (2011). Implementing and Sustaining an Effective Service Delivery Approach: Stages and Steps. https://ectacenter.org/~pdfs/pubs/effectiveservicedelivery-long.pdf
Connelly, M. A. (2007). Transitions of families from early intervention to preschool intervention for children with disabilities. Young Exceptional Children, 10(3), 10–16. https://doi.org/10.1177/109625060701000302
Cook, B. G., Buysse, V., Klingner, J., Landrum, T. J., McWilliam, R. A., Tankersley, M., & Test, D. W. (2015). CEC’s standards for classifying the evidence base of practices in special education. Remedial and Special Education, 36(4), 220–234. https://doi.org/10.1177/0741932514557271
Decker, K. B., Meldrum, J., Vaterlaus, J. M., & Foster, T. D. (2021). parents’ part c experiences in rural areas: Alignment with recommended practices. Journal of Early Intervention, 43(2), 155–175. https://doi.org/10.1177/1053815120953484
Division for Early Childhood. (2014). DEC recommended practices in early intervention/early childhood special education 2014. https://divisionearlychildhood.egnyte.com/dl/7urLPWCt5U
Dunst, C. J., Bruder, M. B., & Espe-Sherwindt, M. (2014). Family capacity-building in early childhood intervention: Do context and setting matter? School Community Journal, 24(1), 37–48.
Fontil, L., Sladeczek, I. E., Gittens, J., Kubishyn, N., & Habib, K. (2019). From early intervention to elementary school: A survey of transition support practices for children with autism spectrum disorders. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 88, 30–41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2019.02.006
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 2004, 20 U.S.C. §1431, §1432, & §1435. (2004)
Keilty, B., Trivette, C. M., & Gillespie, J. (2022). Parent agency in promoting child learning: Family perceptions of focusing on family strengths during early childhood assessment and planning practices. Journal of Early Childhood Research. https://doi.org/10.1177/1476718X221083420
Lanners, R., & Mombaerts, D. (2000). Evaluation of parents’ satisfaction with early intervention services within and among European countries: Construction and application of a new parent satisfaction scale. Infants & Young Children: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Early Childhood Intervention, 12(3), 61–70. https://doi.org/10.1097/00001163-200012030-00009
Macy, M., & Torres, C. (2019). The role of state lead agency designation in early childhood intervention. International Journal of Early Childhood Learning, 26(2), 7–20.
Mahurin-Smith, J. (2022). Transitions out of early intervention. Infants and Young Children, 35(2), 150–162. https://doi.org/10.1097/IYC.0000000000000211
Malone, D. M., & Gallagher, P. A. (2010). Special education teachers’ attitudes and perceptions of teamwork. Remedial and Special Education, 31(5), 330–342. https://doi.org/10.1177/0741932509338362
McWilliam, R. A. (2016). Birth to Three: Early Intervention. In B. Reichow, B. Boyd, E. Barton, & S. Odom (Eds.), Handbook of Early Childhood Special Education. (1st ed.) (pp. 75–88). Cham: Springer.
Rosenberg, S. A., Robinson, C. C., Shaw, E. F., & Ellison, M. C. (2013). Part C early intervention for infants and toddlers: Percentage eligible versus served. Pediatrics, 131(1), 38–46. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2012-1662
Scarborough, A. A., Hebbeler, K. M., & Spiker, D. (2006). Eligibility characteristics of infants and toddlers entering early intervention services in the United States. Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities, 3(1), 57–64. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-1130.2006.00053.x
Spiker, D., Hebbeler, K., Wagner, M., Cameto, R., & McKenna, P. (2000). A framework for describing variations in state early intervention systems. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 20(4), 195–207. https://doi.org/10.1177/027112140002000401
Twardzik, E., MacDonald, M., & Dixon-Ibarra, A. (2017). The relationship between state lead agency and enrollment into early intervention services. Journal of Early Intervention, 39(3), 253–263. https://doi.org/10.1177/1053815117708999
Weiszhaupt, K. W. (2022). Early intervention service delivery models’ and structures’ impact on parents’ satisfaction with services. Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 1305. https://purls.library.ucf.edu/go/DP0026880
Wolfe, K., & Durán, L. K. (2013). Culturally and linguistically diverse parents’ perceptions of the IEP process. Multiple Voices for Ethnically Diverse Exceptional Learners, 13(2), 4–18.
Acknowledgements
The present research was originally conducted as part of the author’s dissertation work at The University of Central Florida.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Weiszhaupt, K., Szente, J., Levin, J. et al. Exploring Parents’ Perceptions of Early Intervention Services: A Multi-State Study. Early Childhood Educ J (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-023-01622-4
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-023-01622-4