Behavioral Observation and Screening Module 3: Observation and Screening Basics
Activity: While At Work: You assess the program's current use of technology.
I am selecting screening tools
Activity: While At Work: You look for accuracy, reliability, and sensitivity.
I am selecting screening tools
Activity: While At Work: You perform research to find suitable endorsements.
I am selecting screening tools
Key Point: Child care professionals think of families as
partners in the observation and screening processes.
During a meeting or call, lastly present the results in a
professional manner, and as you share results, answer questions.
During a meeting or call, first review the
program's observation and screening process.
Child care professionals select screening tools based on
quality considerations, such as ease of use, accuracy, affordability, availability, sensitivity, reliability, suitability of components, endorsements, and use of technology.
Developmental Screening, Assessment, and Evaluation: Key Elements for Individualizing Curricula in Early Head Start Programs, is a publication of the
Task Force on Screening and Assessment of the National Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (NECTAC) in collaboration with ZERO TO THREE, which contains ten guidelines you should follow when screening children.
Knowledge Check: A screener should be able to explain why the tool being used is reliable and valid.
True
Knowledge Check: A screening tool should match a child's social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development.
True
Knowledge Check: Families should know the reasons for observing and screening children.
True
Knowledge Check: Quality screening instruments are endorsed by individuals, agencies, and organizations.
True
Knowledge Check: Quality screening instruments are readily available and easily obtained.
True
Child care professionals ask the right questions about a tool before using it with a child, including:
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?
If the results of a screening session indicate a referral for further assessment might be in the best interests of the child and family, schedule
a confidential meeting with the parents.
Specific components usually include items such as
a record-keeping system, documents used to record basic information about children and their families, and scoring and interpretation guides for the screener
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children be screened at
9, 18, and 24 or 30 months
3. Quality screening instruments are
affordable, accurate, easy to use, readily available, sensitive in regards to ethnicity, culture, and linguistics, reliable, specific components
Accuracy is strongly correlated to
an instrument's validity.
Written policy and procedures outline, at the minimum
an orientation process for parents, methods of obtaining parental permission, planning for and scheduling sessions, documenting results, confidentiality, sharing results with others appropriately, communicating results to parents, and making referrals.
Encourage parents to
ask questions or discuss concerns, because this should be a conversation, not a presentation.
Some specific components include items to be used during screens, such as
cards with pictures or shapes on them.
Quality programs have a strategy for
communicating results to the parents.
Since screenings are conducted to monitor a child's progress in gaining skills, they may be
completed more frequently to guide classroom planning.
At the minimum, the results of screening sessions should be given to parents with a
cover letter.
With so many different people using the same screening instrument, it can be
difficult to find a quality tool that meets the needs of all of its users.
It is best if families are given the chance to
discuss the results of every screening session at a confidential meeting.
They understand the importance of
families, the role of families in the screening process, and how to guide families through assessment and evaluation.
Families may share information about the child that could impact screening results, such as
family dynamics; health issues (including premature birth); the child's routines and behaviors at home; issues impacting the child and other concerns; and possible strategies, if further action is necessary.
Child care professionals always review the instructions of the screening instruments to
find important information on how to handle screenings for children who were born prematurely.
When using a screening instrument, child care professionals follow
guidelines during implementation so that results will be accurate and usable.
Technology includes both computer
hardware and software
Repeatability is
highly desirable in any testing instrument
Experts study the content of the screen, or what is included or excluded;
how children of different backgrounds respond to the instrument; how the instrument functions in various program types; whether or not the results can be replicated over people and time; and if information collected by the instrument is consistent.
Child care professionals know that involving families in the screening process can
increase their knowledge of child development and improve their parenting skills.
Quality screening instruments are endorsed by
individuals, agencies, and organizations that are respected within the early education or early intervention communities.
Child care professionals involve families in the observation and screening process because
it facilitates a partnership that benefits the child.
It is important to know if children were born prematurely because, depending on their chronological age,
it may impact screening results.
A screening instrument should be easily obtained from
its developer or manufacturer, agencies and organizations, and publishers of educational materials.
When a program is thinking about buying a screening instrument, it should consider
its price.
The child care provider can influence families' perceptions of the screening process by
keeping them informed, conducting screenings in a professional manner, and working in partnership with them.
The screening instrument must
meet the needs of the child for its results to be valid.
For screening to achieve its maximum benefit, family involvement is
necessary.
Quality child care programs have a plan for orienting families to the
observation and screening process.
Quality child care programs have written policies and procedures about their
observation and screening process.
Key Point: Child care professionals follow guidelines and best practices during
observation and screening sessions so results will be usable.
At no time should the results of a session be delivered where
others might overhear them or when there is no time for discussion.
They provide important documentation, such as
permission to screen, enrollment information, results of previous screenings, and health records.
To determine if a screening instrument is right for a child, the answers to these questions are compared to the
principles of developmentally appropriate practice for the child.
During orientation and enrollment, families should be told about the program's
processes and their role in them.
During a meeting or call, secondly describe the
screening instruments that were used with their child.
Quality programs have a developmentally appropriate
screening schedule for each child, and they share it with the parents.
After a screening, if a child is developing typically, try to
set up a meeting. If the parents say that's not possible, schedule a call and follow up by giving them relevant documents.
Key Point: Child care professionals select screening tools based on
specific quality considerations to ensure they will meet the needs of the children, their families, and the program.
When a screening tool is easy to use,
staff and parents understand it and the results it produces. They should be able to read the materials in their primary language, follow the instructions without much guidance, use familiar materials, and create usable documentation efficiently.
When families are given the chance to discuss the results of every screening session at a confidential meeting it
strengthens the partnership between provider and parent, and allows time for everyone to ask questions.
Technology that meets accessibility requirements complies with the requirements of
the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by accommodating users who have special needs
Children should be screened more often if
the child is at risk of developmental disability or delay.
Families should know their role during implementation;
the differences between observation and screening; the reasons for observing and screening; the types of screening tools used at the program; the method used to communicate results; and why, how, and to whom referrals are made
Quality screening instruments always produce
the same results in similar situations
User-friendly technology is appropriate for
the skill levels of the people using it, or allows users to learn how to use it
The orientation process does not have to be lengthy, but it does need to be
thorough.
Key Point: Child care professionals follow guidelines and best practices during observation and screening sessions so results will be
usable.
Quality screening instruments using technology should be .
user-friendly, meet accessibility requirements, and fit the program's needs
It is best if information is given
verbally and in writing, so families can review the information after the orientation.
Enrollment is a good time to obtain the parent's
written permission to proceed.
To guide families through its screening and observation process, a program should have
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; and knowledge about how, when, and to whom referrals should be made.
Activity: While At Work: You find out what languages are available.
I am asking the right questions
Screening tools can be used by
Parents or providers or both in combination.
Screening instruments should not be
biased against any group
Technology that fits the program's needs helps the screeners
document screening results accurately and efficiently
Screening instruments should be
easy to use, accurate, affordable, readily available, sensitive, and reliable.
Before a quality screening instrument is released by its manufacturer to be used with children,
experts test it
When a screening instrument is accurate,
its results are proven to be true and correct.
If the price of the instrument and any supplemental items (such as materials or updates) cannot be supported by a program's budget, it should be
rejected
Knowledge Check: A program should develop its own screening tools using a developmental milestone chart.
False
Knowledge Check: A screening tool should introduce a child to new tasks and objects.
False
Knowledge Check: A screening tool should never be used with the same child more than once a year.
False
Knowledge Check: A screening tool should not be used with a child who already has a diagnosed disability.
False
Knowledge Check: A screening tool should reflect the culture and language of the majority of children being screened.
False
Knowledge Check: Decisions about a child's progress and goals are made by parents.
False
Knowledge Check: It is a best practice to send referral information by Certified Mail, Return Receipt requested.
False
Knowledge Check: Parents should have access to the screening tool only if it calls for their direct participation.
False
Knowledge Check: Quality screening instruments are endorsed by individuals, agencies, and organizations.
False
Knowledge Check: Quality screening instruments disregard characteristics that apply to individual children, such as culture and language.
False
Knowledge Check: Quality screening instruments that use technology are costly, difficult to use, and unreliable.
False
Activity: While At Work: You know the tool's target age range.
I am asking the right questions
Activity: While At Work: You learn how many items are screened.
I am asking the right questions
Activity: While At Work: You are trained to conduct screening and observation sessions.
I am following guidelines and best practices
Activity: While At Work: You conduct screening sessions in natural settings.
I am following guidelines and best practices
Activity: While At Work: You only use instruments for their specified purposes.
I am following guidelines and best practices
Activity: While At Work: You encourage parents to contact you with follow-up questions.
I am involving families
Activity: While At Work: You schedule confidential meetings to discuss results.
I am involving families
Ideally, the role of families in the screening process is to:
Be fully aware of the screening program and understand its purpose Consider screening a positive service Give written consent for their children to participate Provide information that could facilitate the interpretation of results Participate in the observation and screening process appropriately Meet with staff members in person to discuss screening results Pursue intervention services when they may benefit the child
Activity: While At Work: You answer questions as you share results.
I am involving families
