Support Networks and Family Empowerment in Early Intervention

Abstract

Despite the importance of empowerment and the support network of families who receive early intervention (EI) with a family-centered approach, there is little evidence of a relationship between these two variables and family characteristics that might influence this relationship. This study analyzes the correlations between the perception of empowerment of the families, the family supports used, and the socio-demographic factors of both the child and the family. The study consisted of 44 families who received family-centered EI services. Our results show that families mainly used formal supports, followed by informal supports, and, to a lesser extent, intermediate supports. This indicates that families with children who receive EI preferably use the support network based on EI programs, schools, and professionals. Along with this formal support network, primary caregivers rely on their partners, parents, or friends—that is, the informal support network. Family empowerment was not correlated with age, diagnosis, or the reason for referral to EI; on the other hand, it was related to the supports where the families with the lowest empowerment scores were those who made greater use of formal support over informal support. Early intervention professionals must know, from the first encounter, the type and level of support of each family to enhance the development of the child and promote empowerment in families.

The role of women in the field of early intervention

“…Research in recent years has substantiated the efficacy of family-centered theoretical models in early intervention [ 2 , 3 ], highlighting the vital role families play in promoting their children's development, education, and social involvement. In recent decades, professionals working within early intervention have prioritized involving families or primary caregivers in learning opportunities during daily activities and natural environments, and in their interactions with support networks [ 4 ]. Theoretical models propose that children learn through interactions with the environment, not solely through professional actions [ 5 ].…”

“…This paradigm shift, based on sufficient scientific evidence [ 7 , 8 ], advocates for family-centered early childhood intervention (ECI) practices developed within natural contexts. It promotes a suitable alignment between the requirements of family routines and the skills possessed by the family [ 4 ]. Currently, interventions aim to enhance the skills and abilities of parents or primary caregivers through the engagement and support of ECI professionals during their daily interactions with the child.…”

“…The availability of social support to families represents a crucial determining factor in ECI and the management of parenting a child with disabilities. Numerous studies indicate that this factor is positively related to the quality of life of parents [ 4 , 21 ]. Specifically, the benefits provided by the different types of support received by the main caregiver, who is typically the mother in most of the cases investigated [ 22 ], have been analyzed.…”

Construyendo sistemas eficaces para la implementación de prácticas recomendadas en atención temprana

“…Cuando analizamos la Atención Temprana nos referimos a la prestación de apoyos dirigidos a la población infantil de 0-6 años a la familia y al entorno, y tiene como finalidad el generar una respuesta en los primeros meses de vida a las necesidades, transitorias o permanentes, que presentan los niños con discapacidad o con riesgo potencial para el desarrollo de algún tipo de discapacidad o situación de exclusión social. Actualmente, este conjunto de intervenciones/apoyos/recursos incluye no solo la presencia de la familia, sino una participación activa en donde, junto con el profesional, van adquiriendo competencias con la finalidad de proveer a sus hijos/ as de experiencias u oportunidades de aprendizaje en las rutinas del día a día, no solo en el entorno familiar sino en todos los contextos en el que el niño se desarrolla (Arellano y Peralta, 2013;Dalmau et al, 2017;Escorcia y Rodrigo, 2019;Martínez et al, 2022).…”

Early Assessment and Intervention: Introduction to the Special Issue

“…There is now a general international consensus among professionals that early assessment/identification and intervention/ support is critical for optimizing outcomes for children with neurodevelopmental conditions (Lipkin et al, 2020;Singh & Anekar, 2018). Early assessment and intervention/support can also be highly transformative for the family by, for example, helping family members gain a better understanding their child's strengths and needs, reducing stress, improving parent-child relationships, and enabling family members to take a more active role in helping their child learn and develop (Martinez-Rico et al, 2022). Early assessment and intervention/support also makes sense from a social-economic standpoint.…”