Seven Essentials for Family–Professional Partnerships in Early Intervention

Family–professional partnerships are essential to early intervention practice (birth–age 3). However, building and sustaining these partnerships is complex work. This book is about digging deeper and looking closer at what it takes to have successful relationships with each and every family. The authors explore seven partnership concepts, brought to life through the words and perspectives of families and professionals themselves. New and veteran professionals can use the lessons learned from these accounts to more effectively work with families. Each chapter ends with Questions for Daily Reflection to help early intervention professionals continue to develop their practice. The final chapter describes themes that result from and span the seven concepts as well as the systems needed to support successful family–professional partnerships.

Book Features:

• Provides a set of concrete practices for partnering with families.
• Presents authentic voices of families and professionals in action.
• Promotes enhanced reflection as readers apply the lessons learned to their work.
• Recognizes and highlights the individual nature of each family–professional partnership.
• Includes tools to help plan, implement, and evaluate the use of the practices described.

Bonnie Keilty is associate professor and program coordinator of early childhood special education at Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY).

"Keilty provides readers with a foundation to move towards an additive practice that values authentic relationships with families. Its synthesis of literature alone is informative and robust, while the seven essential concepts guide professions in reflective practices."

—Teachers College Record

“Seven Essentials for Family–Professional Partnerships in Early Intervention provides a valuable resource to help improve the outcomes of early intervention for all children and families.”
—From the Foreword by Philippa Campbell, Thomas Jefferson University

“This is an outstanding and thoughtful collection of family–professional partnerships in early intervention. It will help current and future professionals grasp the knowledge and skills needed to engage in successful relationships with families."
—Patricia M. Blasco, project director, The Research Institute at Western Oregon University

“As a trailblazer in the field, Dr. Bonnie Keilty provides important strategies for building and sustaining the family–professional partnerships that prove so essential to early intervention practice."
—Darla Gundler, Massachusetts parent leader and consultant