Early Childhood Information Sharing Toolkit for Community Providers

1. Early Childhood Information Sharing Toolkit for Community Providers

2. Overview • Why we need this Toolkit • Intended users • How this Toolkit helps you communicate developmental concerns with other community providers • How this Toolkit helps you coordinate other types of care and services for young children • Additional Resources • Feedback: Let us know how the Toolkit is working

3. Why do we need this Toolkit? • Too many children with developmental risks or delays are not identified early enough • Many children and families with known risks and delays do not receive timely services and support • Failure to identify children and intervene early has short term and long term consequences • Short term: delays in speech, growth, and school readiness • Long term: school failure and adverse adult health outcomes

4. Why do we need this Toolkit? • Any community provider or agency may be the 1st resource families turn to when there is a behavioral or developmental concern • Often times agencies/providers have useful and insightful observations about a child’s health and development • Community providers may face challenges in: • making referrals • determining what information should be included in a referral • how to follow-up on a referral

5. Why do we need this Toolkit? • An easy method to communicate observations or concerns with other community providers is currently lacking • Any community provider should have the resources and tools to share relevant health and developmental information with other early childhood providers in the community

6. Intended Users • Any provider or agency that provides services to young children and/or their parents • Links for the common agencies that interact with children and families were created to make the website user friendly • The Toolkit is not intended for parents although some of the tools are useful for both providers and parents

7. Communicating developmental concerns with community providers • Find and click on your specific sector/agency on the homepage • There is background information available that explains how to use each tool • Download any of the tools and use them when you work with families • The next few slides will give you an example of how to use the tools when working with young children and families

8. Communicating developmental concerns with community providers Referral tool* • Use this tool to document and share your developmental concerns with other community providers (M.D.’s, Regional Centers, ECE’s, Child Welfare, etc) • Has check boxes for common behavioral and developmental concerns to easily document and communicate your concerns • Has a place for you to write-in any additional information you may find important to communicate • *The referral tool should only be used with the Consent Tool as it is necessary to obtain parental permission to share concerns with other community providers

9. Communicating developmental concerns with community providers Consent Tool • Parental signature on the Consent Tool can allow providers to share important information that may help a child receive support and services from other community providers (M.D.s, Regional centers, WIC, etc) • Has various check boxes where parents can indicate what information can be released (school records, medical information, family information, etc.) • Is easy to use and has sections to identify the requesting agency and the providing agency

10. Communicating developmental concerns with community providers Referral Follow-Up Can help Parents and Community Providers: • Keep track of any follow-up plan after an assessment, screen, or evaluation has been completed • Know whether there has been an initiation of services • Understand general results that require further follow-up • Understand appointment information and services received by a child (when and where the child was seen)

11. Communicating developmental concerns with community providers Tracking A Child’s Care Tool Can help: • Providers and families understand the referral process by keeping phone numbers, contacts, next steps, and appointment dates in order • The referring agency and other community providers stay informed about whom else is involved in a child’s care • Parents prepare for upcoming visits, referrals and conversations with other community providers, often by assisting them with filling out portions of the tool

12. Communicating developmental concerns with community providers Request copy of an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) Tool • This tool helps providers (M.D.s, S.W.s, etc. ) know what services and supports a child and family are receiving • An Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) is a written plan for infants and toddlers from birth to three years of age who have a developmental delay or disability • The IFSP details the early intervention services and supports a child will receive • The IFSP can help providers with their care and management • The IFSP Request Form can be used to request a copy of a child’s IFSP with parent consent

13. Communicating developmental concerns with community providers Special Education Assessment Request Tool • This tool helps families request an assessment for special educational services for their children whom are at least 2 years and 7 months of age or older • Only a parent can request an assessment for special educational services but they can get assistance in requesting one • A concerned parent can request a special education assessment or a professional with knowledge in child development can assist a parent in requesting one • A child does not have to be enrolled in a school to request an assessment for special educational services

14. Coordinating care and services for young children • All of the tools can be used even if there are NO specific behavioral or developmental concerns • These tools can also be used for community providers to share information about common young child/family needs such as: • parenting classes • help find a health care provider for a child

15. Coordinating care and services for young children • Referral Tool • Has check-off boxes for commonly needed services and an area for you to write in a service if it is not listed in the boxes • Consent Tool • Can be used to obtain parental permission in sharing information about child or needed services • Referral Follow-Up • Can be used to understand a follow-up plan (was family seen at the family resource center? what was the outcome? when does child have another appointment with their medical provider? etc) • Tracking A Child’s Care Tool • Can help you track other services (help you and parent understand appointment dates for well-child visits, next steps in securing parenting classes, etc.)

16. Additional Resources • You can learn more about developmental screening by clicking on the link to the California Developmental Check-up Website • understanding developmental check-ups • choosing a good screening tool • Additional resources and links are also available on the website • Links to early childhood resources • Links to family resources

17. Your Feedback is Critical • Our goal is to develop a standard set of tools that any community provider of early childhood services can use to communicate child concerns with another community provider • Your use of the Toolkit and any feedback you can provide is critical to meet this goal • Click on the feedback link • Is the Toolkit helpful? Why or why not? • Are the tools helpful? Why or why not? • Is this PowerPoint Overview helpful? • How could the tools be improved?