Behavioral Observation and Screening

Give examples of professional groups that perform each of these four activities: observation, screening, assessment, and evaluation.

- Florida Diagnostic and Resource System - Children's Forum Central Directory - Child Find - Child Care Resource and Referral Network

Relate the four guidelines for observations and screenings that take place in child care settings.

1. Be informed 2. Be objective and accurate 3. Be honest and fair 4. Be focused

Identify laws related to children with disabilities.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

List observation methods commonly seen in child care settings.

Checklist Anecdotal Record Running Record Frequency Count Conversations Time Sample Standardized Test Rating Scale Work Sample Documentation

Describe how and when to use different observation methods.

Child care professionals choose their methods of observation based upon the types of information they need to collect.

State the role of observation in screening as it relates to developmental delays, developmental disabilities and at-risk populations.

Don't diagnose - Independent and document indicators - Report them as required by law - Observe and screen regularly

List characteristics shared by quality screening instruments.

Easy to use Accurate Readily Available Affordable Sensitive to ethnicity Reliable Have specific components Endorsed by others User-friendly

List agencies and organizations who participate in the screening, assessment, and evaluation process.

Florida Diagnostic and Resource System Children's Forum Central Directory Florida Office of Early Learning Child Care Resource and Referral Network Child Find

Describe ways to support children with delay or disability, or who are at risk, through observing and screening.

Observe and screen regularly Watch for signs and changes Document professionally, over time, using a variety of methods Are familiar with Child Find Refer when appropriate Provide appropriate support during sessions

Describe best practices used by skilled practitioners when data supports further assessment and evaluation.

Prepare carefully for meeting Begin meeting with brief overview Present blank sample of tool(s) Present child's results in writing Active listening Stay positive Talk about program's role Make appropriate referral and provide information

Describe guidelines and best practices for implementation.

Screening, assessment, and evaluation should be viewed as services Processes, procedures, and instruments should only be used for their specified purposes. Multiple sources of information should be included Should take place on a recurrent or periodic basis Screening should be viewed as only one path to further assessment or evaluation. Procedures should be reliable and valid Family members should be an integral part Conducted in natural settings and involve relevant tasks Tools must be culturally sensitive Trained employees

Describe best practices used by skilled practitioners to obtain valid and usable results.

Stay informed Be objective and accurate Be honest and fair Be focused

Describe the function of each of these agencies.

Test for developmental delays Evaluate children's development

What are the three main reasons child care programs observe and screen children?

To facilitate growth and development of every child - Detect early sings of developmental delay or disability - Identify signs of child abuse and neglect

Evaluation

a process that determines a child's eligibility for federal, state, and local programs and services.

Running Record

account of what a child is doing as it is happening

Observation

an ongoing process in which child care professionals recognize and document identifiable developmental milestones as they appear, using tools such as checklists, anecdotal records, and running records.

Screening

an ongoing process in which child care professionals use specialized observation and documentation tools to identify, document, and monitor typical development or possible developmental delay.

Developmental Domains

categorize children's skills and abilities. They include Physical Development, Cognitive Development and General Knowledge, Language and Communication, Social and Emotional, and Approaches to Learning.

Standardized Tests

document child's ability to perform skills compared to other children of the same age

Name characteristics seen in effective child care professionals who observe and screen children

know the typical and atypical patterns of child growth and development are familiar with the child being observed or screened understand the program's observation and screening policies and tools

Checklist

list of skills and abilities observed

Rating Scale

measure a behavior, skill, or ability based on a series of quality points or a continuum

Anecdotal Record

narrative account of an event written shortly after it occurred

Natural Environment

places the child would typically be, such as home or the child care program

Assessment

process whereby an agency or organization gathers and reviews multiple sources of information about a child's suspected or conformed developmental delay or disability, and uses that info to improve a child's outcomes.

Work Sample

product created by a child that becomes documentation of the development of a skill

Frequency Count

records how often a behavior happens

Time Sample

records what activities a child chooses to do during a given time period

Documentation

refers to everything in a child's file that may identify risk of delay or suspicion of abuse/neglect

Conversations

word-for-word accounts of what children said while being interviewed by a provider

Evidence

written data collected by the program

Explain how to help parents appropriately and responsibility after learning their child may be at risk of developmental delay or disability.

• Provide individualized, developmentally appropriate care • Supply parents with information • Participate in the child's intervention team • Be the parent's knowledgeable partner

Explain how to select a screening tool for specific children.

• What does the instrument screen? • What is the target age range? • What languages are available? • Does the screener need to be specially trained? • How many items are screened? • How long does it take to administer? • How is it implemented and scored?

Describe ways to guide families through the screening process.

• Written policies and procedures • A plan for orienting families to the process • A developmentally appropriate screening schedule for each child • A system for documenting parental permission to screen • A strategy for communicating results to the parents • Knowledge about how, when, and to whom referrals should be made