Using ECI Data for Decision- Making about Individual Children Dale Walker, PhD, Jay Buzhardt, PhD & Barbara Terry, PhD Juniper Gardens Children’s Project, University of Kansas

Using ECI Data for Decision- Making about Individual Children Implementing and Evaluating Intervention

IGDIs Exploring Solutions Assessment IGDI Decision Making Model Monitor Identify/ Validate Need For Intervention Generate Intervention Strategies Implement Intervention Evaluate Intervention Effectiveness Monitor ©2003 Juniper Gardens Children’s Project

Example of Individual Monitoring for Olive, a Child in Early Head Start Olive had 3 quarterly assessments Olive was below benchmark Taking action with an intervention

Benchmark Guidelines During Progress Monitoring If child scores…And….Then… Slightly below averageNo other concernsContinue quarterly monitoring Slightly below averageOther concernsBegin more frequent or monthly monitoring Below averageNo other concernsBegin more frequent or monthly monitoring Below averageOther concernsGo to Exploring Solutions and begin more frequent monitoring On TargetNo other concernsContinue quarterly monitoring

Assessment Guidelines: What is needed in decision-making? Multiple sources of information and informants used when assembling information about the child’s functioning Decisions should never be made based on one assessment. Use information from additional sources Parent and CG info., other assessments, observations Check that assessment is representative of the child’s functioning

Assessment Guidelines: Determining if ECI representative Determine first if the ECI assessment was representative of child’s typical level of functioning Questions to ask: Was the child feeling well and alert? Was the assessor familiar to the child? Was the assessment conducted in a manner that was conducive to promoting communication?

What do you do if child is not showing adequate growth? What types of strategies would work in child care setting? What types of strategies would work at home or in family-based child care? How would you know if the new strategies make a difference?

Communication Intervention Strategies: How to use in practice Introducing strategies and activities to parent(s), home visitors, and other staff Discuss rationale for strategy May provide modeling, coaching and practice Be positive Use self-evaluation form Using ECI to monitor intervention outcome

Using effective interventions to promote communication Importance of using effective, evidence- based interventions to promote communication Importance of deciding what the possible resources are to effectively deliver intervention Importance of monitoring the intervention delivery to make sure that it is effective in promoting communication

Exploring Solutions: Using program and child Information to Plan Intervention (Called Family Needs Assessment: Child Data in Tool Kit pages 3 - 4) How child is growing in communication? (ECI) Family/caregiver concerns? Medical issues? (hearing, vision, premature, illness) What child knows and does? (other measures of development) Settings, interactions, activities, routines, curriculum What is possible in terms of intervention? ©2003 Juniper Gardens Children’s Project

Selecting Intervention from ECI Dropdown Menu When ready to begin an intervention Select intervention description from menu on Child Data Entry Form Select menu under Condition Change Select intervention that best describes the intervention Use Other and describe in child’s file if none fit What are others that would be helpful?

Select intervention that best fits

How the ECI Works in a Program ECI data may be used in regular staffing meetings/supervision of home visitors to report on child progress Home visitors or early interventionists share data with team, parents, Part C providers Recommended that staff who are doing the home visits or intervention give and score, or have regular access to reports so they know about child’s progress

Evaluating and monitoring intervention effectiveness Continue administering ECI on more frequent monthly or quarterly schedule Look at Key Skill Elements and Total Communication rates to check that they are moving toward benchmark Look at the slope of communication progress to determine if the slope is increasing Is there evidence that intervention has increased communication? If progress is not at expected rate, examine intervention and make necessary changes