December 5, 2005 -- Parents Report on Early Interventions for Disabilities

Parents of children with disabilities who received early intervention services between birth and three years of age told interviewers that as a result of the interventions they felt more competent in caring for their children and gaining access to further supports for them. The parents believed their families were better off as the result of the interventions and said they were optimistic about their children’s futures, though researchers noted that parents of minority children, single parents, and parents whose children have health problems were somewhat less positive in their reactions. Researchers at the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute at the University of North Carolina and SRI International in Menlo Park, California surveyed a sample of parents whose children had received services under Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which encourages states to create Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSP) that involve parents in planning and carrying out earlly interventions for children with disabilities. Services provided under Part C vary but generally include specialized instruction and physical, speech, or occupational therapy, often in the context of home visiting programs. Researchers noted that while the literature consistently shows early intervention has “significant benefits” for children with disabilities, there has been little information about whether Part C meets another of its goals--to help families cope with the challenges of having children with disabilities. The report, “Thirty-Six Month Outcomes for Families of Children Who Have Disabilities and Participated in Early Intervention” appears in the December 2005 issue of the journal Pediatrics.