Focusing on Families

Early Steps uses focus groups to help measure family satisfaction and gather input from other stakeholders as required by Florida law.  In 2019, staff at the University of Miami conducted Early Steps focus groups in North Dade, Southwest and Gulf Central Local Early Steps (LESs), as those were the LESs that volunteered to host and participate in the focus group project.  Both family focus groups and provider focus groups were held.

In addition to focus groups, structured individual interviews were conducted with families.  The focus groups and interviews took place over a two-month period in April – May 2019.  All participants in the family focus groups were randomly selected from randomly generated lists from the three LESs that agreed to participate.

Parent experiences during evaluation largely depended on location.  Overall, family experiences were positive. The biggest frustration families faced was the time lag between referral and the child’s evaluation appointment. Most parents were very positive about service providers and missed working with service coordinators and providers after being transitioned out of Early Steps.

Parents also reported a sense of empowerment after realizing there were activities the family could do at home to help the child’s progress.

In 2020, Early Steps will again work with the University of Miami, Mailman Center to conduct focus groups and gain valuable information to improve and include feedback from families in more areas of the state. Feedback from families allows the Local Early Steps to improve areas where parents have indicated there are barriers. 

Thank you to the North Dade, Southwest and Gulf Central Local Early Steps for assisting the Early Steps State Office in obtaining valuable information that will help improve services to infants, toddlers, and families.

BUREAU OF EXCEPTIONAL EDUCATION AND STUDENT SERVICES

Look for the current issue of the BEESS Weekly to be posted at the end of the day each Friday. Archived issues of the Buzz Weekly Memo will be placed here as well, so you can reference them as often as needed. The web page can be found at https://www.fldoe.org/academics/exceptional-student-edu/beess-resources/presentations-pubs/weekly-memo.stml 

MILITARY FAMILIES LEARNING NETWORK EARLY INTERVENTION

The Military Families Learning Network (MFLN) provides educational opportunities and online resources for service professionals that work with military families. The MFLN team focuses on topics relevant to early intervention (birth to 5 years), family strengthening, and the prevention and treatment of family violence. Most of the MFLN professional development programs offer free continuing education units/credits and certificates of completion. For additional information visit https://militaryfamilieslearningnetwork.org/family-development/.

Opportunity for Parents to Serve on FICCIT!

The purpose of FICCIT is to assist public and private agencies in implementing a statewide system of coordinated, comprehensive, multidisciplinary, interagency programs providing appropriate early intervention services to infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families. Membership includes parents and caregivers and the representatives of the various agencies that provide early intervention services. FICCIT meets quarterly in various locations throughout Florida and all travel expenses are paid. To learn more about FICCIT, visit http://www.floridaicc.com/index.html.

The Early Steps State Office is in search of one ‘Parent of a child with a disability aged 12 or younger’ seat and one ‘Parent of a child with a disability aged 6 or younger’ for the Florida Interagency Coordinating Council for Infants or Toddlers(FICCIT).

Parental participation is vital to the success of FICCIT’s mission. If you are a parent of a child age 12 or younger, or age 6 or younger, with disabilities and your child receives services through Early Steps, or has received such services in the past, please consider applying for membership. Interested parties may apply at the Appointments Office website, https://www.flgov.com/appointments/

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