SERVICE DESCRIPTION
Parent Infant Programs Developmental Services are designed for children under three years of age who are experiencing challenges to their development. Parent Infant Programs views our role as one of support for parents to help identify and enhance opportunities to support their child’s development in the existing environments and everyday activities that families are experiencing. Our developmental intervention services focus on supporting the parents, and/or caregivers, of the child in an effort to increase the child’s participation in daily activities and maximize the child’s learning and development. This is accomplished by working with parents and caregivers to embed intervention strategies into the daily routines and activities of the family.
ROLE OF DEVELOPMENTAL CONSULTANT
Our Developmental Consultants are experts in child development, developing relationships and in identifying opportunities to support parents in increasing learning opportunities for their children. As Developmental Specialists we are experts in supporting children and families in fostering healthy development. However, caregivers are experts in their own children. Developmental Consultants work with caregivers as partners to support a child’s movement through the crucial domains of child development to maximize the developmental potential of the child. It is the goal of home visits to combine professional expertise with caregiver expertise to design and enhance developmental experiences that maximize a child’s development.
WHAT DO SERVICES LOOK LIKE
Typically, Parent Infant Programs services consist of home visits designed to support caregivers in identifying and enhancing everyday experiences that promote development in the developmental areas of need. These visits can be a mix of observation, discussion, intentional play, modeling techniques and many other intervention strategies. The use of these strategies are a result of the child and caregivers needs and are designed to increase the opportunities for learning beyond the time designated for the home visit. Services can also include visits that take place in other environments that families regularly visit (e.g., the park, library, etc.).
The frequency and length of these visits are determined by a child’s specific needs and the family’s unique desires and circumstances. Typically, this would include 1-2 visits per week for an hour to an hour and a half.