Family/Caregiver Engagement in Early Intervention

Research has shown that the early years of child development and intervention that occurs during those years has a large impact on the architecture of the brain which creates a sturdy or fragile foundation for overall developmental and success later in a child’s life (Shonkoff & Bales, 2011). For children with or at risk for disabilities, early intervention programs were developed to assist with increasing a child’s success or closing the gap if one exists. For the purposes of this literature review, the early years and early childhood are referring to children ages birth to age 3. Early intervention services provided to this group of children involve families or adults that are caregivers. This paper examines the characteristics of early intervention home visiting programs and specifically focuses on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Part C early intervention services, models of the services provided and factors that have the likelihood to influence and increase the engagement of families or caretakers in these early intervention services