A case study of collaboration among an Early Head Start program, early intervention agencies and families for the provision of services to infants and toddlers with disabilities

Collaboration among Early Head Start, early intervention and parents offers the unique opportunity to ensure the integration and coordination of services for infants and toddlers with disabilities. This study was a qualitative investigation of 19 families whose infant or toddler was suspected to need early intervention services for developmental delays or disabilities. The purposes of this research were to identify barriers to obtaining early intervention services that could be attributed to a lack of collaboration; to describe the nature of collaborative efforts among parents and staff of an Early Head Start program and community early intervention agencies; and to document the extent of evidence regarding whether or not the EHS program in this study addressed legislative mandates outlined in Part C and EHS Program Performance Standards.; The case study employed a qualitative methodology with a triangulated design, which included case records and program documents gathered from retrospective data. Data came from research projects conducted by The Catholic University of America based on one Early Head Start Program Data, collected from 1996--2001, were analyzed using a constant comparative method. This case study identified 29 barriers to obtaining early intervention services primarily between the EHS program and the community early intervention agency. It was also found that these barriers were often addressed through two and 3-way collaborations and interactions among Early Head Start program, Part C service providers, and families. Finally, the collaborative activities evidenced in the interactions addressed the legislative mandates, which were often documented through EHS files.; These findings are important to the field of early intervention because the findings provide insight into the collaborative process regarding obtaining early intervention services to infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families. It also contributes because it shows that effective service integration can only be achieved through open communication and respect for other agencies, which are critical pieces of the collaborative process.