Assessment across disorders, prespective , procedures and practice

Assessment across disorders Assessment across disorders perspectives , practices and perspectives , practices and

procedures.procedures.

Chapter one.Chapter one.

Families and professionals

as collaborators

in assessment

Issues affect collaborative

effortsWithin assessment.

Suggestions for addressing the issues

With particular components of

the assessment process.

Issues effect collaborative Efforts with assessment

Process vs. outcome.

Formal vs. informal Assessment.

Family directed vs. Professional

directed services.

Choice making Sequencing of services

Balance of power

Collaborative alternatives within assessment.

Identify the family Concerns and priorities

Planning assessment

Alternative role for familiesIn child assessment.

Identify the family Concerns and priorities

Planning assessment

CollaborateCollaborate: working together – team up- create : working together – team up- create together- cooperate and unite.together- cooperate and unite.

CollaboratorCollaborator : associate colleague- coworker- : associate colleague- coworker- teammate- copartner and ally.teammate- copartner and ally.

Families and professionals as collaborators in Families and professionals as collaborators in assessment .assessment .

Respect for each others opinions and Respect for each others opinions and contribution.contribution.

Equality in the status of each partner Equality in the status of each partner within the relationship.within the relationship.

Developing trust.Developing trust. Positive regard for each other.Positive regard for each other. Common activities include gathering Common activities include gathering

together resources.together resources. Creating a product for developing a Creating a product for developing a

process.process. Working together to achieve goals.Working together to achieve goals.

Professional family interaction =Professional family interaction =

Family ( as collaborators ) + Family ( as collaborators ) + (characteristics and activities) + (characteristics and activities) +

(fine collaborative effects)(fine collaborative effects)

Issues affect collaborative efforts within Issues affect collaborative efforts within assessment:assessment:

Process vs. outcome: Process vs. outcome: Professionals focused on the outcome of services than

process. Outcome includes:

1. Assessment completed

2. Child qualified for services

3. Family acceptance.

4. Followed through child recommendations of services.

The literature indicate that families haven't always been satisfiers The literature indicate that families haven't always been satisfiers with assessment services they receive ( olsan,1988), also many with assessment services they receive ( olsan,1988), also many parents related the worst experiences in early interventions it that parents related the worst experiences in early interventions it that the events surrounding the assessment of child.the events surrounding the assessment of child.

Constraints surrounding evaluation ,the limited time to develop a Constraints surrounding evaluation ,the limited time to develop a relationship ,the physical boundaries that limited opportunities to relationship ,the physical boundaries that limited opportunities to see children and families in variety of settings. Example: is that what see children and families in variety of settings. Example: is that what you call normal?you call normal?

Families are dissatisfied with the process not the outcome of assessment activities

Families are dissatisfied with the way the information was

gathered and shared not for the quality of information shared with them , they have more positive experience and makes a different was the relationship established and the hope instilled instead of information shared.

Family directed vs.

professional directed services

Balance of power

Choice making.Sequencing of

Services.

A-Balance of power:A-Balance of power:

in the family – professional interaction:in the family – professional interaction: In past professional didIn past professional did In recent years families and professionals are In recent years families and professionals are

alternating practices.alternating practices. Now direct role should be a negotiated decision Now direct role should be a negotiated decision

between families and professionals.between families and professionals. Some parents want professionals to direct Some parents want professionals to direct

assessment process.assessment process. Others want to direct in certain times and let the Others want to direct in certain times and let the

professionals be the consultant and collaborators (aren't professionals be the consultant and collaborators (aren't the primary decision maker ) and other not.the primary decision maker ) and other not.

In professional- family relationship: Professionals experts or help giver. Families help receivers.( to gain professional’s

experiences and knowledge ).

Families dislike getting a directive or collegial role from professionals, also professionals may not encourage parents to be co-partners so additional issues is choose making of whom direct the assessment.

B- Choice making :B- Choice making :Primary decision maker :Primary decision maker : Location Location Type of activities Type of activities

performedperformed People present.People present. Role taken by different Role taken by different

ppl ( family members).ppl ( family members). Interpretation of results, Interpretation of results,

recommendations made recommendations made and outcomes planned.and outcomes planned.

Professionals have Professionals have choose in the sequencing choose in the sequencing of servicesof services

Professional are collaboratorsProfessional are collaborators Facilitate as choose Facilitate as choose

making by family.making by family.

sequencing of servicessequencing of services

Families who seek early intervention Families who seek early intervention needs: needs:

1.1. Answers to their questionsAnswers to their questions2.2. Issues they want resolvedIssues they want resolved3.3. Needs information to take decision about their child.Needs information to take decision about their child.

Professionals need information's:Professionals need information's:1.1. Determine additional steps to take.Determine additional steps to take.2.2. Need to observe or test child to determine developmental Need to observe or test child to determine developmental

levelslevels3.3. Qualify a child for services.Qualify a child for services.4.4. Seek for information's to plan intervention.Seek for information's to plan intervention.

Professionals could plan proposed sequence of Professionals could plan proposed sequence of events with family:events with family:

1.1. Family is interviewedFamily is interviewed

2.2. Child is observed in preschool.Child is observed in preschool.

3.3. Child begins intervention services.Child begins intervention services.

4.4. Child is evaluated overtime.Child is evaluated overtime.

Formal vs. informal assessment.Formal vs. informal assessment.

Professionals do:Professionals do: Standardized testing is required.Standardized testing is required. Explain regulations.Explain regulations. Utilize standardized measures.Utilize standardized measures. Offer additional measures and activities that Offer additional measures and activities that

directly meet family's concern and preferences.directly meet family's concern and preferences.

Collaborative alternatives within assessment.

Identify the family Concerns and priorities

Planning assessment

Alternative role for familiesIn child assessment.

Identify the family Concerns and priorities

Planning assessment

Identify families goals:Identify families goals:

Start open-ended questions together perspectives Start open-ended questions together perspectives about child before identifying more specific about child before identifying more specific issues.issues.

Structured approach: number of checklists and Structured approach: number of checklists and survey instrument. (some parents prefer this survey instrument. (some parents prefer this type)type)

Written survey: 40% Mothers ,60% Fathers Written survey: 40% Mothers ,60% Fathers ( referred to complete it rather than required to ( referred to complete it rather than required to do so.do so.

Informal and open ended discussion are referred Informal and open ended discussion are referred by others.by others.

Wait and see approach ( used when professionals Wait and see approach ( used when professionals and family disagree to which is important?)and family disagree to which is important?)

Professionals support parents concerns and Professionals support parents concerns and preferences and wait until a late time to interject preferences and wait until a late time to interject their own ideas.their own ideas.

To facilitate collaboration with families:To facilitate collaboration with families:

The primary goal for professionals id to respond as The primary goal for professionals id to respond as directly as the family’s priorities and to develop directly as the family’s priorities and to develop follow –up plans based on those priorities.follow –up plans based on those priorities.

Planning the assessment:Planning the assessment: Discuss with the family the reason for Discuss with the family the reason for

collaboratively plan.collaboratively plan. Identify the role that family wish to take in Identify the role that family wish to take in

assessment.assessment. Gather information for performing assessment.Gather information for performing assessment.* pre-assessment information referred from other * pre-assessment information referred from other

professionals (occur separately , in conjunction, professionals (occur separately , in conjunction, informal face to face conversation, telephone informal face to face conversation, telephone discussions or forms sent out and given to discussions or forms sent out and given to parents )all gathered before actual assessment parents )all gathered before actual assessment begins. begins.

Alternative role for families in child Alternative role for families in child assessment: assessment:

Receiver roleReceiver role (traditional approach): (traditional approach):

parents separated from assessment activities parents separated from assessment activities results, exclude from decisions making. results, exclude from decisions making.

Observer roleObserver role : : physically present, or one way glass and

professional describe briefly the activities and families write down their questions as they observe.

Informant role : Family asked to provide information about the

child. ex. Medical info, and development milestone.

Describer role : Providing information by family day to day

activities and child characteristics.

IInterpreters rolenterpreters role: : families and caregivers interpret child’ behaviour families and caregivers interpret child’ behaviour

and responses ( child intended by certain and responses ( child intended by certain activities or expressions.activities or expressions.

(NBAS)- (FANA).(NBAS)- (FANA).

Participant roleParticipant role:: Utilizing parents as participants in assessment to Utilizing parents as participants in assessment to

evaluate the level of child linguistic and non evaluate the level of child linguistic and non linguistic performance during social routine.linguistic performance during social routine.

( arena assessment, parent elicited social ( arena assessment, parent elicited social action games ).action games ).

Validators role: Validators role: Family are validators of both the assessment Family are validators of both the assessment

process and the result gained from assessment.process and the result gained from assessment.

Evaluator role:Evaluator role: Family members and parents take role of Family members and parents take role of

evaluators:evaluators: High correlations between parents and High correlations between parents and

professionals (judgement of a child’s current professionals (judgement of a child’s current development level).development level).

Good reliability between parents and Good reliability between parents and professionals in determining needs referral for professionals in determining needs referral for testing.testing.

High correlations between parent’s reports of High correlations between parent’s reports of vocabulary ,syntax levels, structured testing and vocabulary ,syntax levels, structured testing and language sampling performed by professionals.language sampling performed by professionals.

With my best wishes ,With my best wishes , Mai Dewedar.Mai Dewedar.