Collaboration for Success Preschool Screening, Assessment and Intervention

Government Commitment The Government of Alberta is seeking the best ways to help parents and their young children get off to a good start in life and learning.

Shared Responsibility Alberta Children’s Services, Education and Health and Wellness are working together to find effective ways to reach children and families and deliver accessible and effective services.

Importance of Early Childhood Development The quality of early childhood experiences is critical to… Growth Development Learning and Success in School and Life-long health and Well-being

We also know: Most Alberta children and families are doing very well: they are healthy, happy, and developing well, however, a few need extra help.

Looking for new approaches to… Increasing access to screening Timely assessment and intervention services Improve coordination Manage pressures –Staffing –Increasing population –Increasing diversity –Resource limitations

We also wanted to… Build on government investments in early childhood development Look at innovative ways to support collaboration. Utilize workforces across our three key sectors in new and effective ways Build knowledge Evaluate the impact

Purpose of the Initiative Explore innovative approaches to increase access to preschool developmental screening, timely assessment and effective interventions.

Collaboration: bringing together different: For Success!

Provincial Collaboration

Project Collaboration

Getting Started  Collaborative proposals  Common screening tool : Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ)  Focus on 18 to 36 month old children  Must increase access to screening and follow-up services  Innovative approaches to program design

 Four projects will share $7.9 million over three years (2007 to 2010).  Projects selected to represent unique and innovative approaches to enhancing the delivery of screening and follow-up services. READY, GET SET, GO! Demonstration Projects

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Related Children’s Services Ministry Business Plan Goal: Children and youth will have a healthy start in life and the supports they need to reach their potential.

Parent Link Centres: One of our key early childhood development initiatives. A network of centres across the province. Providing comprehensive early childhood development, parent education, family support and information and referral services to families of young children. Developmental screening is a key strategy for PLC.

Goals of Developmental Screening by PLCs Increase parents’ knowledge of child development Celebrate the child’s developmental progress Identify any potential challenges for the child Assist the family to locate and access services.

PLCs Are participating in these Innovation projects Have demonstrated their capacity to engage families Act as key coordination and integration points Partnered on the Talk Box and Bounce Back Book Resiliency Project

Education’s priority - Our Minister directed us to explore options to provide children with early learning opportunities. -The Preschool Screening and Follow-up Services Projects will assist us in our mandate to provide supports to children as young as 2.5 yrs who are experiencing challenges with their development

Education believes: In supporting children in their most natural setting…home, child care facility, pre-school, nursery or school settings. That support and opportunities provided at earlier stages (prevention) usually diminishes more intensive and costly supports (interventions) in later years.

Screening and follow-up supports: -Promote smooth and positive transition from home/community to school. -Provide opportunities to share information about children in a timely, sensitive and proactive manner so AE supports can be put in place.

BUILDING KNOWLEDGE AND SHARING LEARNING Learning Events Website Resources Networking Linking To Other Projects In The Province

Evaluation Project Evaluations Provincial Evaluation –ACCFCR will coordinate the provincial evaluation of the Initiative by a team of evaluation research experts. –Linkages to research.

OUR COMMITMENT:

Help give children opportunities to... soar high and as far as their imaginations take them into their futures. We can do this if... We do it together.