Despite an emphasis in the field on triadic approaches to the delivery of early intervention (EI), remarkably little is known about the shared experiences of caregivers (CGs) and providers during home visits. Within the context of developing, refining, and evaluating the Embedded Practices and Intervention With Caregivers (EPIC) approach, two studies were undertaken with 11 EI providers and 19 CGs of infants/toddlers with moderate-severe delays/disabilities to gather their perspectives about and experiences with the EPIC approach. The EPIC intervention has two components: CG coaching and a fivequestion (5Q) process for supporting embedded practices. Interview, focus group, and rating scale data were collected in both studies and aggregated for reporting purposes in the present article. Findings are described with regard to the coaching and 5Q components and the extent to which participants found the intervention to be feasible, acceptable, and useful. Implications for future research and professional development on coaching and embedded intervention practices are discussed.
While caregiver coaching approaches in early intervention have a comprehensive literature base, the field continues to experience a research-to-practice gap in the implementation of capacity-building coaching approaches. We examined the caregiver coaching divide and identified strategies for researchers and Part C programs to bridge the gap so that all families benefit from a capacity-building approach during this critical developmental period of the child’s life. Using available evidence and implementation science frameworks, we suggest five actionable strategies for research and practice teams.
An increasing number of researchers are examining the benefits and outcomes of caregiver-implemented interventions for young children with delays or disabilities. Most report the incorporation of multiple coaching strategies within their approach; however, definitions and descriptions of coaching strategies and processes continue to be limited. This scoping review examined the use of various coaching strategies across models of caregiver coaching in early intervention, with a specific focus on problem solving and reflection coaching strategies occurring in the literature between 2011 and 2018. Problem solving and reflection are 2 coaching strategies incorporated into coaching approaches to build caregiver competency, confidence, and independence within intervention implementation. The results of this review may guide the field in further defining caregiver coaching as well as specific coaching strategies, such as problem solving and reflection.
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