Enhancing Early Intervention Partnerships and Practices: A Book Study of Pause and Reflect by Dana Childress

Participants in this reflective book study will explore practical and relational strategies to build strong partnerships with families and teams to improve practice and support meaningful changes that align with the mission of Early Intervention. Participants will examine how to communicate the purpose of Early Intervention, review the coaching approach, and how to use joint planning to address family identified priorities within daily routines in natural learning environments.

Discussions will focus on supporting the “EI triad”, the child, the caregiver and the provider, by gathering meaningful information, engaging all participants of the EI triad, and sharing expertise that honors each family’s individualized priorities and culture with a strengths-based approach. Adult learning principles will be explored as a foundation for effective caregiver coaching and implementation of balanced intervention strategies to empower families.

Reflective discussions will encourage practitioners to connect new learning to current experiences, deepen self-awareness, and promote integration into practice. The goal is to strengthen high quality service leading to positive, lasting outcomes for children and families while fostering resilience and professional growth.

*Full participation is required to receive a certificate of attendance/participation. No partial credit is awarded.*

1. Implement family-centered practices that align with the mission of Early Intervention by using a strengths-based approach to embed learning opportunities into everyday routines and empower caregivers.

2. Intentionally plan and conduct visits focusing on the EI triad, applying balanced intervention strategies and coaching methods grounded in adult-learning principles in natural learning opportunities.

3. Gather and use meaningful information through respectful, reciprocal, and reflective conversations that strengthen caregiver confidence and support family-identified outcomes.

4. Apply strategies for professional resilience by managing workload, reducing stress, and engaging in ongoing reflective practice to sustain learning and growth

5. Engage in guided reflection and discussion to deepen self-awareness by identifying your own personality traits, thought patterns, and priorities, to gain insights into how these personal factors influence their professional practice and interactions with others.

Participation in this professional development opportunity is limited to Intermediate level Early Intervention providers in Illinois who currently maintain an active Early Intervention caseload. This requirement ensures that participants are prepared to engage with the content and apply the concepts directly to their practice.

This training is an interactive, linked series. Day 1 provides essential foundations for shared learning, and later sessions build on this content. Participants who do not attend Day 1 will be removed from the roster for the remaining sessions and encouraged to register for a future full offering.

Enhancing Early Intervention Partnerships and Practices: A Book Study of Pause and Reflect by Dana Childress

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