Presentation Transcript

1. Supporting a Positive Vision for the Future:Enhancing Family Provider Relationships in Early Intervention

   Sally Reed Crawford Early Childhood Specialist sallyreed49@gmail.com ITSI Conference - August, 2010
2. Workshop Objectives Increase awareness of Person Centered -Values, -Planning, and - Accomplishments Explore strategies to promote the concept of Futures Planning in work with families Increase awareness of how Self-Determination outcomes are essential to an individual’s Positive Future Explore strategies of how service providers can promote person-centered thinking and self-determination outcomes in their practice Explore strategies to build family member advocacy skills
3. Agenda Define Person-Centered/Futures Planning (PCP) Articulate a Positive Vision for the Future - the Desirable Life Self-Determination: The core of a meaningful life, applications in early childhood Support family members to increase advocacy skills

4. What is Person-Centered or Futures-Planning (PCP)?

5. The Evolution of PCP: 1980 – Jack Yates develops the Individual Service Design 1987 – Beth Mount develops Personal Futures Planning 1989 – Marsha Forest and Evelyn Lusthaus develop MAPS and Circles 1992 – Michael Smull and Susan Burke Harrison develop Essential Lifestyle Planning 1995 – Jack Pearpoint, John O’Brien and Marsha Forest develop PATH – Planning Alternative Tomorrows with Hope
6. Person-Centered/Futures Planning “LINGO” MAP’S Focus Person Circle of Support Facilitator Profile, Vision, Action Plan Lifestyle Planning Futures Planning Path Lifespan Planning IFSP/IEP ISP = Individual Support Plan POC = Plan of Care/Budget
7. DefinitionsCornell University, ILR School, Employment and Disability Institute “Person centered planning is a means for uncovering what is already there: the essence and extraordinary gifts and capacities of a person…it is about sharing life with one another, and sharing power and giving up control over another human being.” “Person centered planning is the beginning of the journey of on-going learning through shared action that results from participation in planning and working together.”
8. “Person centered planning assumes that the person and those who love the person are the primary authorities on the person’s life direction, as such the person is the driver of the process.” “Person centered planning intends to shatter myths about people who have been given disability labels and to foster inclusive communities.”
9. Fundamental Principles of PCP PCP is not an outcome, but a planning tool to envision the desired life and identify steps to achieving that life; PCP is an ongoing process which references, reviews and celebrates progress; PCP is way of thinking differently about a person with a disability; PCP is about shifting power and control – sharing control with individuals/families served; PCP is a promise from a committed group (a Circle of Support) to engage on the path of making the desired life a reality
10. PCP is driven by valuesBeth Mount 1988, 1989, 2002 Planning and service provision is based on the informed choices, strengths and needs of individuals and their families; Helping individuals and their families have access to resources in the community – jobs, housing, friends – with a focus on typical supports, inclusion;
11. Coordinating services around the life of the family/individual; Acknowledging the abilities of ordinary citizens – peers, co-workers, neighbors – to: teach skills to individuals, help them participate, and model appropriate behaviors and develop relationships with the individual.
12. We promote PCP to Create descriptions of capacities and opportunities in people and environments Establish a collective vision Foster collaboration, creativity, action & direction Encourage innovation Seek out a more desirable future Renew commitments of people gathered to solve problems, reflect and learn

13. Person Centered or Futures Planning can help create a Visionfor the Future.

    Person Centered planning is a process of learning how a person (family wants child to live) wants to live, then describing what needs to be done to help the person move toward that life. Michael Smull, 2001
14. Person-Centered Experiences Lead To Person-Centered Accomplishments = The Desirable LifeConnie Lyle O’Brien & John O’Brien Community Presence: “the sharing of ordinary places” Community Participation: “the experience of being part of a growing network of personal relationships that includes close friends” Choices: “the experience of autonomy both in small everyday matters and in large life-defining matters”
15. Respect: “having a valued place among a network of people and valued roles in community life” Competence: “the opportunity to perform functional and meaningful activities with whatever level or type of assistance that is required” At each stage in life, we strive to promote these experiences for our children.
16. We create meaning in our lives by Belonging: where do you feel you belong? Contributing: how do you contribute? Choosing: what are your everyday and long term life choices? Sharing ordinary places: where do you go? Being respected: what roles bring you a knowledge of being respected?
17. We Create Meaning in Our Lives Through Our…. Choices Interests Experiences Goals Meaning-making is the KEY

18. Steps to a Meaningful Life

    Are discovered in PCP
19. A Vision for the Future What were your hopes for the your future? childhood hopes post-high school hopes current hopes
20. Essential Connections create meaning in our lives TO INFORMATION Everyone needs access to facts about oneself & the environment TO A SIGNIFICANT PERSON Everyone needs an intimate relationship with at least one other person TO A GROUP Everyone needs to belong, as a member TO A MEANINGFUL ROLE Everyone needs to perform a positive, meaningful function in relation to others
21. TO A MEANS OF SUPPORT Everyone needs assured access to money which will provide an adequate standard of living TO A SOURCE OF JOY Everyone needs opportunities to experience joy & happiness TO A SYSTEM OF VALUES/MORALS Everyone needs a value system on which to base decisions & give life meaning TO A HISTORY Everyone needs a sense of personal heritage or “roots” TO A PLACE Everyone needs attachment to places with special meaning

22. Exploring the future with families we serve

23. Why support a Vision for a Positive Future for a Child and Their Family? Because it creates the foundation for success in every life stage. Future = a time that is to come; what is going to happen
24. Reflection: Who are parents in the audience?Complete the sentence. “When my child is an adult I hope he/she will…”
25. The future life every family wants for any child is To have a safe, stable home in which to live To have access to a variety of places and engage in meaningful activities To have a social network of personally meaningful relationships To have a level of personal choice and control that matches one’s age To be safe and healthy Giangreco, 1993

26. How different are these hopes & dreams for the families you serve?

27. “The future is not some place we are going to, but one we are creating. The paths are not found, but made, and the activity of making them changes both the maker and the destination.” Pat Conroy, Beach Music
28. I don’t have a crystal ball! “Begin with the end in mind.” Stephen R. Covey, 7 Habits of Highly Successful People

29. Who has a family member with a disability? Child or adult? Describe how do their days are meaningful.

30. A meaningful day for each of us is different, but will include common experiences Work, or age appropriate activity Volunteer Lifelong learning Community involvement Social life Health & Wellness Spirituality Housekeeping Walker, P., Rogan, P., Make the Day Matter!,2007
31. For persons with disabilities we must intentionally plan for and work harder to create meaning in their lives.PresenceParticipationChoicesCompetence (perform functional activities)Respect (valued by others)

32. A Framework to Create A Vision the Future

    Envision a Desirable Life Think in a Person-Centered Way Use a PCP or Futures Planning Approach to ensure success in achieving the steps to the desirable life
33. A starting place to articulate a positive future: Ask families, and when appropriate, ask the individuals you serve – How they want their child to spend time each day; Who do they want their child to spend time with; and Where do they see their child living as an adult, or later, where does the individual want to live; What skills do they need to achieve to be as independent as possible; The supports needed for success at each stage Their Hopes and Dreams for the future.
34. For the child with a disability, planning a desirable life is about seeing the possibilities, and a comfort level in asking or saying: What if? Why not? Let’s figure it out how. Let’s try. Should I feel satisfied with this service(s)? How can we get closer to my dream(s)? Whose future is it anyway?

35. Thinking about an individual’s future, means thinking in a person- centered way.

36. Person-Centered ThinkingMichael Smull, www.elpnet.net Requires those who are supporting families/ individuals to be led by values-based skills – to look at the person differently. Requires listening to the family/individual differently and use what is heard in different ways.
37. Person-Centered Thinking Skills Recognize and/or learn what is Important TO each family/individual AND what is Important FOR each family/ Genuinely help the family/individual get more of what’s ImportantTO them, i.e. look for what they might want to learn – especially those things that will move them toward a better balance between what is important to and what is important for the individual
38. And,… Recognizing each person’s gifts and his/her current AND potential contributions Participate in creating, building, and strengthening relationships Engaging individuals with relationships that will support, safeguard, and dream about a desirable future with them

39. Self-Determination skills result in living the desirable life.

40. Self-Determination Skills P. Rogan, 1999 Knowing yourself Knowing your rights Making Choices and Decisions Advocating for yourself Knowing what you want and how to get it Taking responsibility Setting personal goals and working toward them Having control over your life
41. Consider the Life Span:Self-Determination Outcomes in Early Childhood Becoming More Independent Acquiring and Using Knowledge, Including Language and Early Literacy Developing Effective Friendships and Social Relationships Demonstrating Developmentally-Appropriate Classroom Behavior And are linked to Kindergarten and School expectations
42. Self-Determination Outcomes in Early Childhood are Age-Level Expectations Self-Regulation Expressing Preferences Choice-Making Problem-Solving Decision-Making Set Goals Value Self Acquiring a Sense of Autonomy Responsibility & Accountability
43. Supporting Age-Level Expectations Parents’ Role: Nurture, Guide, Protect by having age appropriate expectations, which happens to teach Self-Determination Skills (SD) Service Provider Role: Support family outcomes, and promote age level skills to increase independence

44. Growing up with a disability is a series of transitions. Each stage of life is a stepping stone to the future.

    First Steps Preschool Kindergarten Elementary School Middle School High School Adulthood
45. Research on Self-Determination The traits underlying Self-Determination include self-actualization, assertiveness, creativity, pride & self-advocacy. Ward, M.J. (1988). The many facets of self-determination. National Information Center for Children & Youth with Handicaps Transition Summary, 5, 2-3. Most studies on SD have focused on high school students and adults with disabilities (Doll, Sands, Wehmeyer, & Palmer, 1996)
46. Fast Forward to High School and Self-Determination Research conducted through the National Arc’s Self-Determination Program Shows: 1. Students who Leave School with Self-Determination Skills: Are More Likely to be Employed Are More Likely to be Independent Earn More Money 2. Adults with Higher Self-Determination also have a Higher Quality of Life
47. SD in Early Childhood Only recently has SD Research focused on the unique considerations and issues related to early childhood (Erwin, Brotherson, Palmer, Cook, Weigel, Summers, 2009) Self-Determination discussions in early childhood recommend looking to the future: teach skills in early childhood that are necessary for life-long self-determination skills
48. Promoting Self-Determination in Early Childhood, Palmer & Wehmeyer, 2002 Birth to 5 years Support infants to learn to self-calm, e.g. transitional object Provide supportive social and physical environments that promote active exploration Offer simple choices to toddlers Provide simple problem-solving experiences, i.e. toys, expectations in routines Teach decision-making and identification of consequences Expect contributions, e.g. clean up toys, put dirty clothes in the hamper, help sort laundry Elementary School Years Provide guidelines for self-management, i.e. homework, chores, pet care Teach self-evaluation, i.e. identify strengths, needs Model self-advocacy, i.e. speaking up for oneself Teach setting goals, i.e. topics to learn, how to get info Encourage positive beliefs about oneself and what outcomes to expect - possibility
49. A vision for the future begins with Age Appropriate Expectations A vision for the future is the foundation upon which we build the skills to reach a destination. What are your age-level expectations for a child you are serving?
50. Teach Self-Determination Skills at home and in school Choice-Making: demonstrating preferences Decision-Making: considering consequences of two alternatives Self-Knowledge: my strengths, needs, interests Value and have Pride in Self: belief in abilities Problem Solving: identify problem, offer solutions Consider future dreams: life after high school, finding out about new interests Goal Setting: at school, for my future Responsibility, Accountability: understanding consequences of my decisions/choices

51. Age Level Expectations increase an individual’s Self-Determination

52. Having Age Appropriate Expectations in Early Childhood Result in Young Adults Who Have Successful Social Skills – “I want my child to have friends, be invited to birthday parties.” “I want my child to fit in.” Make Choices – begin with preferences Take Responsibility –requires contribution, teaches accountability, builds self-confidence Have Interests – continue to build on and identify Is a Self-Advocate – knowledge of wants, needs, ability to speak up
53. Make Contributions – how do children without disabilities contribute at home, school, community Set and attain goals – expand new learning from known interests Demonstrate Age-Appropriate behavior - understanding consequences and respect of others
54. Identifying outcomes that support Self-Determination: What are the child’s interests, capacities and needs? What skills will the child need to function successfully in their desired lifestyle? What are the support needs of the child? What are the available resources in the community? Which resources will lend themselves to meeting the needs of your son/daughter?
55. What are the child’s gifts? What goals and dreams does the family have for their child – next year, in five years, after high school? What are life priorities the family has identified for the next few years? What is a meaningful day for the child?

56. Encouraging Advocacy Skills in Service Provision with Families

57. Values Direct Actions…Beth Mount, 1988, 1989, 2002 Advocate for the services that will support a meaningful life – now and later; Advocate for service provision that is based on the informed choices, strengths and needs of individuals and their families – not deficit based;
58. Advocate for service provision/experiences that match the unique needs and abilities of a child; Advocate for outcomes that promote increased inclusive experiences that will assist a child, their family and community members to gain access to resources available in community.
59. Advocacy Advocacy is essential in maintaining or improving the quality of life for people with mental retardation and related developmental disabilities. Advocate for the Desirable Future Advocate for skills development to achieve the Desirable Future Advocate for increased community membership
60. You advocate when… You speak up on someone’s behalf: create outcomes now that will support the family’s vision for their child’s future You speak up for or against an issue that impacts their life: brainstorm and negotiate for challenges along the path You help families speak up for themselves, then help children speak up for themselves

61. Embed Person-Centered Thinking and Advocate for Self-Determination outcomes in your work with families and colleagues.

62. Service systems naturally create a Circle of Support A Circle of Support: Strengthens collaboration; Improves clarity of the vision; Brings possibilities into focus; Shares responsibility; Empowers the families and their child.
63. Enhancing a Circle of Support People who know the family and child best: Immediate family members Extended family members Friends Neighbors Faith-based Connections Co-workers, co-volunteers, Therapists School personnel Will change over time.
64. Values Regarding Families and Disabilities Persons with disabilities make positive contributions to their families and to society; Persons with disabilities and their families need support to develop and maintain expectations and dreams for the future; Persons with disabilities and their families have the right to full citizenship;
65. Values Regarding Families and Disabilities Families and persons with disabilities are capable of making meaningful choices and acting on their preferences; Connections both within families and between families and their various support networks are crucial; Families who have a family member with a disability posses inherent strengths. (Beach Center on Disability)
66. When you bring person-centered values to your work you Bring the family and child to the forefront of planning for their future life; Think in a new way about a family and their child; Promote a meeting approach to plan life goals; Use conversations and planning meetings as a gathering process to identify an individual’s preferences, strengths, needs, barriers for group problem-solving; Advocate for what is important to a family and their child – in the long term and short term; Commit to action steps to reach the vision for a future for each stage of the child’s life.
67. The goals of your person-centered work will Increase the likelihood that a person with a disability Will develop relationships, Be part of community life, increase control over their lives, Acquire increasingly positive roles, Develop competencies to help them accomplish these goals, And, to live a meaningful life!

68. Concluding thought….

    From cradle to grave, people with disabilities are reliant upon dependency-creating systems – educational, rehabilitation systems and family systems to meet their needs. As a result, many people with disabilities fail to reach maximum levels of independence, productivity, inclusion, and self-sufficiency – outcomes that, ironically, are the main objectives of most such systems. Wehmeyer, 1996

69. Every life requires dreams;

    Every dream requires a plan to become a reality.

70. Thank You!