Exploring photo elicitation to engage head start families of children with disabilities

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act mandates that children with disabilities be provided with individualized supports to maximize their overall development and learning. Caregivers of children ages birth to 5 years play an integral role in determining what supports are most beneficial for the child and their family. Research related to family empowerment and capacity-building suggest that families facing multiple risk factors (e.g., presence of a disability, poverty, single parents, and low levels of maternal education) may experience feelings of powerlessness when asked by professionals to make decisions on behalf of their families. The purpose of this study was to identify effective ways to engage families experiencing multiple risk factors including caring for young children with disabilities, to work collaboratively with Head Start professionals when planning and implementing family-centered interventions. Specifically, collaborations between families and Head Start Family Service Workers and the potential utility for a particular strategy, “photo elicitation,” to empower families to share their personal stories as a pathway to building meaningful relationships was examined. A qualitative approach via thematic analysis was utilized. Findings from this study begin to address the need for identifying innovative strategies for building family capacity with Head Start families, specifically those caring for young children with disabilities