On the Path of Collaboration: Community-based Developmental Screening in Southwestern Alberta

1. On the Path of Collaboration:Community-based Developmental Screening in Southwestern Alberta Marian Biggins Early Intervention Specialist Palliser Regional School Division Cheryl Skaien Early Childhood Coordinator Lethbridge Family Centre (Parent Link Centre) Mark Moland Developmental Screening Coordinator Chinook Health

2. The Partners

3. The Context

4. How it Began • An overview of developmental screening during the last several years RCMP Barracks in Fort MacLeod (1874)

5. The Focus of the Collaboration Format: What does it look like? What were the results? • 28 screening sessions were held in 20 communities across the region during March and April 2007 • 703 children completed ASQ

8. Engaging Families • The process of planning together • What we learned from the 2006 survey • Interesting examples of creative engagement

10. Preschool informed Stay and Play Preschool registrant Parents as Teachers CHR Newsletter Call from school School Called Kindergarten Teacher Stay and Play Phone call School registration PAT and Preschool Parents as Teachers School Phone call PAT Family Hub regis Pre school registrant Sign outside Huntsville Hub and school Phone call Teacher Phoned School Teacher Internet Kinder Staff Billboard Call from CHR staff Preschool teacher Register for prescho Kinder Reg Daycare Teacher PPP Telephoned Stay & Play

11. School Registration Stay and Play Phone call Hiway billboard Phoned school Daughter-in-law Preschool Registrati Preschool Regis works at school wifes work Preschool Reg Leisure Giude Family Hub Stay and Play Stay and Play School Staff Preschool Teach.Ph Stay & Play

12. We talk of building bridges High Level Bridge in Lethbridge, Alberta

13. “Getting into the Gap” Writing on Stone Provincial Park

14. Not Always Easy • Different mandates • Different levels of resources • Time to coordinate • Confidentiallity/Inforamation sharing • Decision making and accountability

15. Benefits of Collaboration • Parents can access a continuum of services and are able to make personal connections with service providers • Creativity – taking the best and sharing it across the region • Sum is greater than the whole

16. Our Experience – Parent Comments • There is certainly more that just myself to rely on to help my child become an invaluable part of the community by starting him off on the right path. Thank U. • Learning what areas need development prior to starting pre-k (and tools to improve those areas). • Great handouts. Concern for children very evident. • I found out my son could draw a person. I didn’t know he could. But at the screening he was asked to draw a person and he did (wow). I was so happy.

17. Our Experience – Partner Comments • I felt there were huge benefits to all involved by doing this as a community partnership. There was great networking and connections made between all. (Parent Link Centre Staff) • Parents feel more comfortable in approaching us to say, “Yes, my child does need some help” or “who do you know that could help?” (Educator) • Igot to make contact with 30 caregivers, some of whom I reassured that their children's fine motor skills were not only age-appropriate but also strong; others whom I gave information on areas of concern AND the impact that these areas might have on refinement of fine motor skills and what they could do about it now. (Children’s CARE Services Occupational Therapist)

18. Our journey continues…