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In an attempt to minimize the need for subsequent special education and related services, the federal government provides financial assistance to states to develop and implement quality ECI services to infants and toddlers with disabilities or developmental delays (IDEIA, 2004). Under Part C of IDEIA (2004), states, which receive federal assistance, are mandated to create a statewide, comprehensive, coordinated interagency council (also known as the state interagency coordinating council or SICC) that ensures qualified infants and toddlers, and their families are identified and provided with early intervention services. The SICC is composed of parents, ECI service providers, and other agencies that work with children with disabilities (e.g., Head Start, preschool, and child care providers; Blasco, 2001).

In this chapter, my aim is to describe and analyse conceptually and provide direction for the identification, selection and use of assistive technologies (ATs) to support the education and development of young children with disabilities. The chapter discusses the quality of early intervention practices and the pragmatic role of ATs in delivering effective early intervention impacts. In making this case, the chapter draws upon Vygotsky's cultural-historical theory to illuminate how ATs can be selected and used effectively in schools to enable all young children to thrive in their learning and development in inclusive classrooms.

This chapter is a comprehensive discussion of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) across the globe (e.g., United States, China, Brazil, Japan and Turkey). Topics that are discussed include the following: diagnostic criteria and approaches; international perspectives of ASD; western and eastern assessment practices; cultural considerations of assessment of ASD; educational and medical interventions; behavioral and emotional interventions; complementary and alternative medical interventions; variations in educational services among countries; early intervention practices; adult services; national and international resources; and current needs and future directions.

This study aimed to determine the level of training in psychosocial interventions among staff in the 119 early intervention in psychosis (EIP) teams that were established at the time. A brief questionnaire was sent to each of the teams asking for details of the composition of the team, and for details of any training in psychosocial interventions (PSI) the members of the team had undergone. Fifty‐two questionnaires were returned (44%). Over half of the teams had input from social workers, clinical psychologists and occupational therapists to compliment the nursing provision, though less than 50% employed support workers or had specific psychiatry input. All but two of the teams returning the questionnaire had members of staff trained in PSI though the type of training tended to reflect availability of local training provision. The results are discussed and practical recommendations are made to ensure evidencebased care is implemented within EIP.

This study aims to systematically evaluate the impact and effectiveness of two early intervention services in NW Kent.

Data were gathered via evaluation questionnaires for both projects; these included quantitative post-intervention data and qualitative comments. Data on referrals to secondary care and a specialist third sector organisation were also collected for the primary care project.

Findings from the primary care project indicate that targeting a specific age cohort of patients can be effective in terms of: early identification of dementia-related concerns, the provision of support, appropriate referrals to secondary care, and increased referrals to a third sector dementia service. At the end of the project most practitioners felt they were better informed about dementia, more committed to facilitating early diagnosis, and had gained confidence in using a screening tool (the General Practitioner Assessment of Cognition Test). Evidence from evaluating the Carers Group suggests that attendance helped members manage emotional difficulties, increased understanding of dementia, and enhanced coping skills. They also felt less isolated and knew how to access support services.

The projects offer two models of intervention: how a proactive third sector agency can work with primary care professionals to enhance commitment to dementia case finding and the provision of group support to relatives of those in receipt of a recent dementia diagnosis.

The study provides insights into early intervention in dementia care how to evaluate impact of effectiveness.

This article aims to summarise two papers from Australia on supporting young people in early intervention for psychosis. Both have implications for young people's social inclusion and the design of early intervention services.

The first paper reports a new analysis of a trial of specialist employment and education support in an early intervention service. It used a statistical method called logistic regression to test whether only employment support predicted 41 participants’ success in getting into employment and education, or whether things like condition severity also mattered. The second paper reports on a new online support package for young people with “first episode psychosis” and how acceptable it was. The authors looked at 20 participants’ use of the package, and examined their well‐being before and after using it.

The first paper reported that nothing except getting specialist employment and education support predicted young people's entry to work or education. They recommend that young people in early intervention should not be denied vocational support because of things like “psychiatric symptoms”. In the second paper, young people in early intervention who used the online package reacted positively. The authors recommend a full controlled trial of the package. It could help young people when leaving the service to maintain their gains.

These papers advance research on early intervention psychosis services regarding young people's social inclusion needs. Specialist vocational support could prevent life‐long social exclusion. An innovative online support package has not yet been proven, but with fast‐evolving technology, it might help future service users stay well when leaving the service.

The number of older Asians in the UK is increasing placing greater numbers at risk of developing dementia. The emerging need to address early diagnosis is especially prominent in areas where Asian communities are long established. This was the specific focus of a Dementia Collaborative Project in North West Kent. The project, working through a primary care practice, aimed to raise awareness of dementia and to facilitate early intervention and access to specialist dementia services. Using an evaluation methodology adopted by the Collaborative and working through a multiagency steering group, the pilot project successfully identified an appropriate primary care practice, established a link with a specially trained Asian nurse and devised a set of project materials. By inviting older Asian patients with memory problems to make an appointment with the nurse, and enclosing a culturally relevant information leaflet, older people were encouraged to come forward. Although the number of individual patients identified was small, the project outcomes include: significantly increased referral rates from black and minority ethnic communities to specialist services and greater awareness of dementia‐related issues in both primary care and Asian care services. Overall, the evaluation suggests that by engaging with a committed primary care practice it is possible to engage a hitherto marginal group of older people in early intervention in dementia and raise awareness about its benefits. That this approach underpins the development of a larger scale five year project in the same area additionally endorses its relevance for the mainstream population.

This paper seeks to outline the nature of early intervention (EI) services in psychosis and to discuss substance use in clients in this setting. It considers ways of working with EI clients where substance use is an issue.

The paper begins by outlining the nature of EI services and early psychosis, then goes on to discuss the impact and management of substance use in this setting.

The authors argue that the El approach may be very appropriate for this subset of clients.

This paper focuses on the issues of treatment of dual diagnosis within a specialised area of mental service provision. EI services for psychosis aim to provide early detection and treatment of psychosis, particularly through increased emphasis on psychosocial interventions.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the long-term outcomes for 15 young people on a range of indicators including school success, involvement with other agencies and the perceived effectiveness by the family.

Semi-structured telephone interviews were used to gather a range of both quantitative and qualitative data. Interviews were with a parent of the referred child (n=15).

In all, 87 per cent of care-givers interviewed rated the service they had received as helpful 85 per cent reported these changes to be maintained at the three year follow-up. Rate of school exclusion was only 7 per cent and 0 per cent of families went on to have involvement with statutory social services or the youth justice system.

This is a small-scale study offering a small sample (n=15) of families previously referred to this Family Intervention Team, at a three-year post-intervention period. More routine longitudinal information needs to be gathered for a more robust indication on long-term outcomes.

The impact this study will have on the team involved will be in its recommendations for further long-term outcome studies; but also in feeding back to the service the significant key messages from those interviewed.

Contributing to a wider understanding of the long-term benefits of early intervention.

This paper offers some new though small statistical data in the growing pool of statistics that are indicating positive outcomes for early intervention and family intervention projects.

Young men of African‐Caribbean origin are over‐represented in mental health services (MHSs), often entering these services by coercive routes, such as under the Mental Health Act or via the criminal justice system. This pilot study focused on patients' narratives of their journey from first contact with primary care services. Our principal aim was to describe and compare early experiences of help‐seeking for serious mental health problems among young men of white and black ethnicity.In‐depth interviews were conducted (using a topic guide) with black and white men aged 18‐30 years old and who were accessing secondary care mental health services for the first time for a psychotic illness. Participants were recruited from the early intervention services serving inner‐city Birmingham. Seven participants were interviewed, and 12 themes were identified from transcripts. Six of these individuals had consulted their GP prior to accessing the early intervention service. Only one attendee received medication at initial consultation, and none were referred to specialist mental health services. Participants described the manner in which family or friends interceded on their behalf to advocate for and secure specialist help ‐ either by accompanying them to see their GP, contacting mental health services directly or taking them to the local accident and emergency department. The latter route was accessed by black but not white participants. Three out of four black participants and one out of three white participants were subsequently admitted to hospital. None of the participants were particularly satisfied with their experience of primary care. Communication was less than ideal, and participants were able to reflect on their own failure to disclose critical information to their doctor. By contrast, all participants confided in family or in their trusted friends that they were becoming aware that they were experiencing mental distress.Our findings confirm the difficulties faced by GPs and those who consult them in the early stages of first onset psychotic episodes, and the importance of having family or friends who are able to advocate on other people's behalf at times of crisis. Despite the advent of universal early intervention services across the UK, those most in need may still not be receiving the help that they need in the timeliest manner.