Using Peer Coaches as Community-Based Competency Drivers in Part C Early Intervention

Abstract

Using an implementation science framework, this study examines the impact of a multicomponent professional development (PD) approach implemented by internal peer coaches on early intervention providers’ use of Family Guided Routines-Based Intervention. The experimental study used a single-case multiple baseline design across participants, replicated in three sites with early interventionist (EI) providers ( n = 9) and families with infants and toddlers ( n = 18) in community-based Part C programs. Data indicate a functional relation between the multicomponent PD approach and EIs’ use of the intervention. A between-case standardized mean difference effect size was used to confirm the results of the visual analysis. The implications for the use of implementation science frameworks to build competency drivers within early intervention systems are discussed.

Surveying Early Intervention Providers to Identify Opportunities for Workforce Support to Strengthen Family-Centered Care

“…This discrepancy between recommendations and practice may be in part due to insufficient provider pre- and in-service training in working directly with caregivers (see Romano & Schnurr, 2022). Recent professional development approaches (e.g., Embedded Practices and Intervention with Caregivers, Salisbury et al, 2018; Family Guided Routines-Based Intervention, Kashinath, Woods, & Goldstein, 2006) have indicated some promise in increasing the proportion of time that providers work directly with caregivers, though most studies examining these approaches are small (Krick Oborn & Johnson, 2015; Romano et al, 2021; Salisbury et al, 2018). More research is needed to further develop and establish efficacy of these professional development frameworks.…”

“…In addition, 89% of the time was spent addressing child-specific skill development, and less than 5% on family or other issues, including caregiver concerns and basic family needs, in contrast to recommendations for a whole family-centered approach. More recent work has continued to suggest that, outside of emerging specific professional development efforts focused entirely on caregiver coaching (e.g., Embedded Practices and Intervention with Caregivers, Salisbury et al, 2018), provider use of explicit teaching and direct coaching methods remains rare (Meadan et al, 2018;Romano, Schnurr, Barton, Woods, & Weigel, 2021;Sawyer & Campbell., 2017). Even in studies in which caregivers reported that they valued coaching strategies and used them frequently, strategies involving direct caregiver practicing, teaching, and giving feedback were the most rarely used, while having the caregiver observe the practitioner interacting with the child were the most used (Douglas et al, 2020;Meadan et al, 2018).…”

Community Coaching/Mentoring as a Strategic Asset in Addressing the Negative Impact of Gang Subcultures in a Gang-Affected Community in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape, South Africa

“…This argument supports an earlier work by Cohen, Higgins, Sanyal and Harris (2008) who asserted that community coaching was an "innovative" approach to community development initiatives. Similarly, several scholars have alluded to the value of community coaching in the field of health, including community health coaching (Holland, Greenberg, Tidwell, Malone, Mullan, & Newcomer, 2005), the management of HIV self-testing services (Dunkley, Wang, Worrall, Skipper, & Evans, 2017), safe handling of agricultural pesticides (Ibrahim, Tawfik, & El Lassy, 2018), obesity management (Heerman, Cole, Teeters, Lane, Burgess, Escarfuller, Bonnet, Barkin, & Schlundt, 2019), and disabilities (Romano, Schnurr, Barton, Woods, & Weigel, 2021).…”