Our purpose

Our early childhood intervention services support many families and young children with developmental delays and disabilities throughout BC. Families and children are served in homes, child care, community settings, early childhood programs, recreation and support services. Families of children with disabilities and staff working with them and with their children need education, training and knowledge about disabilities so that children develop to their full potential and are successfully included in all community settings. Successful inclusion means that the developmental needs of children are met and that all staff serving them have the necessary attitudes, values, training and knowledge to support their families and to meet their special needs. Our Training Modules provide this training and knowledge within a rich context of positive attitude and values about families and disability.

Our goals are:

1. To support ongoing training in communities throughout the province to increase the level of awareness, skills and knowledge of service providers working with children birth to 6 years of age with various disabilities and their families in community settings.
2. To provide a training structure that promotes partnerships and connections in the community amongst service providers that continues to enhance the collaborative model of partnering.
3. To deliver training modules that enhance accessibility and are responsive to communities needs throughout the Province.
4. To create a training framework that supports new modules in the future

Background

The Partnerships Project Training Modules were initially written in 1999 and contained seven different training modules. These Modules were used throughout B.C. to provide training sessions in communities to staff supporting children aged birth to six with disabilities in community settings.

In 2005 there was renewed interest from community groups to update and revise the Partnerships training materials, and support the continuation of community training. A Steering Committee, comprised of Infant Development /Aboriginal Infant Development /Supported Child Development Consortium members, Early Intervention Therapists and government representatives was established to review the Partnership Projects and develop future directions for training.

In 2006, the Steering Committee received grant funds from the Ministry of Children and Family Development to revise and pilot the new Modules, and to provide training to new Facilitators who will present the training sessions in communities. In 2008/9, seven training Modules will be complete and ready for community use throughout B.C.

Sponsors

The Partnerships Project was funded in 2006, by the Ministry of Children and Family Development.

During the work of the Project, The Developmental Disabilities Association (DDA) sponsors and oversees the Steering Committee comprised of a government representative and the Provincial Programs of:

• Infant Development
• Aboriginal Infant Development
• Supported Child Development
• Pediatric Therapies

On completion of the Project, ongoing coordination and administration of the Partnerships Project will be under the direction of XXX

Project Team

The Partnerships Training Modules have been created in collaboration with a Steering Committee comprised of members of the Infant Development/Supported Child Development Consortium, Developmental Disabilities Association (DDA), the authors and a Project Manager.

The Module Authors:

Creating Inclusive Child Care Settings: Debra Mayer, Director, SpeciaLink The National Centre For Child Care Inclusion Addressing Challenging Behavior: Paul Malette, CBI Consultants Communication: Anne Gardner, SLP, Margaret Chesterman, SLP, Deanne Zeidler, SLP OT/PT; Promoting Function and Participation in the Early Years: Towards Full Participation: Judit Spence, PT, Susan Gmitroski, OT Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: Vicki Mulligan Supporting Children who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing: Kristyn Payne, Tamara Pelletier S-LP(C) Aboriginal consultant and writer: Monique Gray Smith Editor: Deborah Greene Project Manager: Elizabeth Cox

Steering Committee

Bonnie Barnes, Developmental Disabilities Association
Dana Brynelsen, Provincial Advisor, Infant Development Program
Diana Elliott, Provincial Advisor, Aboriginal Infant Development Program
Lorraine Aitken, Provincial Advisor, Supported Child Development Program
Lisa Martin, Ministry of Children and Family Development
Jason Gordon, Provincial Paediatric Therapy Consultant
James Vitti, Chair of ID/SCD Consortium
Sarah Leary, ECEBC
Elizabeth Cox, Project Manager

Acknowledgements

In addition to our Sponsors, and the committed work of the Project team, the Steering Committee would also like to thank all of the other people who supported the development of this project.

• Website designer John Robertson
• The program consultants who participated as members of the working group and provided feedback and suggestions to the authors in the Revision Phase.
• The Adult Education Trainers, in addition to the authors, who provided training to Facilitators in Instructional Principles
• The trained Facilitators who committed time to assist with and offer the pilot community training sessions during the Pilot Phase
• The community agencies that helped to organize and deliver the pilot training sessions in their communities during the Pilot Phase