For Providers

Caring for children is rewarding, energizing, enlightening and joyful. All children come with unique needs, challenges and gifts. As a provider of quality care, you individualize your support for each child based on where they are at developmentally, emotionally and socially.

You may feel, at times, that you’ve exhausted your expertise.

We can help support you in:

• Problem solving and planning,

• Sharing creative ideas for improving your environment to be more inclusive,

• Exploring strategies for responding to behaviors that children bring to your setting, and

• Suggesting accommodations and adaptations that may benefit all the children in your care.

Our services and supports are free of charge and may include phone calls, emails, onsite visits or training workshops.

Observation Information for Providers

Before we arrive

• Prepare the children by telling them a visitor will be arriving today to “see the class/program/space and help you, the teacher.”

• Continue your daily schedule and routines. Do what you would typically do at that time, interact with the children the way you do each day. Remember that we are there to support you and your program.

• If it is a child specific observation and that child is absent, please call to let us know.

• Arrange a substitute or alternate activity for conversation away from the children, when possible.

What to expect when we arrive

• We will introduce ourselves and offer photo identification.

• We will ask you to tell us what the child is wearing but not use her/his name for confidentiality reasons. We won’t call attention to the child being assessed and will observe other children as well so it isn’t too obvious who we are there to see. This will help the observation be as objective and unobtrusive as possible.

• Remember, you do not need to change routines or schedules. We will do our best to blend into the environment.

• We are comfortable with children asking us questions or talking to us. If you would rather they not interact with us, please let us know ahead of time so we can honor your program’s expectations.

• Your assessment visit will last anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour. All of the information you share will be treated respectfully and confidentially.

• To understand the child’s situation and needs, the ICCP Specialist may ask questions related to the child’s physical, cognitive and emotional areas of development. Additional assessment information may be gathered including but not limited to parent interviews, IFSP or IEP, Behavior, Medical and/or Mental Health reports.