Childcare providers’ attitudes, knowledge, and practice related to developmental monitoring to promote early identification and referral

Abstract

Childcare providers' attitudes, knowledge, and practice related to developmental monitoring to promote early identification and referral. Early Child Development and Care.

Evaluation of the Feasibility and Perceived Value of Integrating Learn the Signs. Act Early. Developmental Monitoring Resources in Early Head Start

“…EHS managers, staff and parents agreed that the LTSAE materials should continue to be used in EHS settings and were helpful for monitoring development, developmental screening, and referral. While previous work has described how Head Start and EHS professionals view developmental monitoring as an important practice (Chödrön et al, 2019), this is the first study to examine parent perspectives on the use of developmental monitoring tools in EHS. Two of the most salient findings are that parents felt more knowledgeable about developmental milestones and families and staff felt they had a shared language to meaningfully discuss development because of receiving the materials.…”

“…Finally, EHS programs may benefit from integrating LTSAE into specific screening and referral protocols prior to first using the materials with families. In light of previous research indicating that many early childhood educators are not aware of appropriate referrals to make for developmental concerns (Branson & Bingham, 2017;Chödrön et al, 2019) it may be important to clarify and train staff on existing referral protocols to ensure consistency. It is important to develop a procedure to re-screen if there is a concern, refer families to early intervention and their healthcare provider, connect with services, and follow up on referrals before introducing LTSAE materials to ensure that family concerns are appropriately met.…”

“…A national survey of 489 ECEs found that ECEs commonly monitor development (86%), but not explicitly for the purpose of identifying developmental concerns and often without the use of a tool like a milestone checklist. Of note, over 15% of ECEs surveyed did not know where to refer families if they suspected a delay (Chödrön et al, 2019 In the U.S., Head Start is a national program to promote school readiness through high quality child and family development services for low-income pregnant women and families (Administration for Children & Families [ACF], 2019a). Early Head Start (EHS) programs are particularly important for early identification, as they serve infants and toddlers up to the age of 3 years.…”

“Watch Me!” Training Increases Knowledge and Impacts Attitudes Related to Developmental Monitoring and Referral Among Childcare Providers

“…Although there was a significant pre-post increase in perceived knowledge and access to tools for making referrals, childcare providers' perception that they are knowledgeable about referrals does not necessarily translate to being able to demonstrate knowledge of recommended referrals (Chödrön et al 2019).…”

“…Data on the current practice of developmental monitoring, screening and referral in childcare settings is limited. However, there is literature on childcare providers' knowledge and attitudes that suggests these professionals may not see it as their role to monitor and screen all children for the purposes of identifying risk for developmental disability and referring for services, regardless of NAEYC recommendations (Boh and Johnson 2018;Branson et al 2009;Branson and Bingham 2017;Burt 2013;Chödrön et al 2019). Given the lack of uniform guidance or requirements for developmental monitoring and screening in the childare profession, these research findings suggest that changing childcare provider practice will require training that can effectively change relevant knowledge and attitudes.…”