Through family-centred early intervention, practitioners build on family strengths, attend to family needs and priorities, while observing interactions, modeling strategies to enhance communication, and guiding caregivers through reflection and joint planning to focus on additional opportunities to enhance caregiver-child communication. In this model of family-centered practice, we meet families where they are. While the presence of hearing loss or a hearing difference in one or members of the family unit can be a unique feature of a family, it is often not the only aspect or dimension that influences the family system. An intersection of hearing loss AND other child or family related factors can have a multiplicative, rather than just an additive effect. Preparing a workforce that is equipped with knowledge, skills, and dispositions to work with diverse families is a priority. This series will focus on three child and family factors that are commonly encountered by early interventionists and often considered to be “challenging” cases. One factor that will be addressed is the presence of multiple home languages or a home language other than the majority language. Another factor that will be addressed is the diagnosis of an additional disability. Finally, the experience of trauma or adversity by the child or the caregivers, including substance abuse, mental illness or incarceration of family members, parental separation or divorce, separation from parents, or domestic violence, eg., can have long-term negative impacts on children across developmental areas. By the end of the series, participants will have tools and information to reframe working with “challenging” cases as opportunities for authentic family-centered early intervention.

Session 1: Foundations and Fundamentals of Family Centred Early Intervention

When providers fully center families in the intervention process, children can reach their fullest potential. Through the use of coaching practices, providers can support the development of caregiver capacity to enhance child growth and development. Join this session and examine ways to better support a diverse range of families by assessing their needs, honoring their expertise, and building their confidence and competence.

Learning Objectives: Participants will…

• Describe the expertise and major impact of families on children’s growth and development
• Outline coaching practices which promote family involvement in all aspects of intervention.
• Identify tools that will help practitioners adapt their practice to be responsive, authentic, and relevant for a diverse range of family structures and needs.

Session 2: Reframing Challenges as Opportunities: Adversity with Assoc. Prof Jenna Voss

Presenters in this session will describe and define sources of adversity and the subsequent impact on child development. Attendees will be called upon to name opportunities they have to influence family resilience and build organizational capacity within their own spheres of influence. How might we engage in honest self-reflection and open dialogue with one another, so we can create more equitable systems of support for children who are DHH and their families?

Learning Objective: Describe sources of adversity, the impact on child development, and opportunities to support resilience among individuals and systems.

Session 3: Reframing Challenges as Opportunities: Linguistically Diverse Home Environments with Dr Uma Soman

Abstract: Working with families who are bilingual or multilingual can seem challenging to a workforce that is primarily monolingual. Access to fluent language models, ideally, models who are using the language of the home and heart can facilitate a strong connection between the child caregiver as well as language development. Understanding the “language landscape” of the child and family’s communication opportunities is the first step to determining an effective intervention plan.

Learning Objective: Describe the child’s/family’s “language landscape” and identify needed supports and intervention to facilitate the family’s desired outcomes. Examine the ways in which language socializes children, how this varies by culture, and the impact of a listening and spoken language approach to communication on this process;

Session 4: Reframing Challenges as Opportunities: Deaf with Disabilities with Dr.Uma Soman

Abstract: Learners who are deaf with an accompanying disability face varied communication and language skills. Practitioners will need to utilize thoughtfully selected assessments, in combination with intentional collaborative practices with caregivers and a team of professionals, to determine the nature and impact of deafness and/or disability and ultimately, to implement the most effective intervention practices which meet the needs of each child’s unique learning profile.

Learning Objective: Identify modifications to traditional auditory-verbal practice that may support learners who are deaf with additional disabilities while reframing restricted definitions of “success”

Session 5: Putting it into Practice Case Analysis

Abstract: A variety of case studies that include these aforementioned factors will be shared with the participants. A case analysis framework will be shared as a tool to help attendees evaluate the strengths and needs of the particular cases. Participants will work in small groups to identify an intervention plan keeping in mind the contribution of these factors.

Learning Objective: Engage in collaborative problem-solving using a case analysis framework to integrate clinical practice and evidence-informed strategies for intervention with a range of complex children and families.

This series has been approved for 5 CEUs from the A G Bell Academy of Listening and Spoken Language.

This event addresses the following Standards from the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers: 1.Standard 1 (know the students and how they learn), Standard 4 (create and maintain supportive and safe learning environments), and Standard 6 (engage in professional learning). It fits within the Priority Area of Children/ Student with Disabilities. These events are evidence and research based.