Family-Centered Practices
This topical guide will introduce you to important books, videos, and information resources available from the EI Clearinghouse and other sources. Contact us via online form or by phone (1-877-275-3227) to request a resource listed below (or ask your local public librarian). Note that some videos may be viewed online, and journal titles will take you to the publisher’s homepage.
Table of Contents

EIC Resources
No resources have been added to this section yet. However, new resources are added frequently!
Books
The DEC recommended practices provide guidance to families and professionals about the most effective ways to improve learning outcomes and promote development of young children, birth through age 5, who have, or are at-risk for, developmental delays or disabilities.
Offers recommended practices for family-centered, evidence-based intervention and team collaboration to ensure the best possible outcomes for infants and young children involved in early intervention programs.
A proven model for family-centered intervention in natural environments, routines-based intervention is the approach thousands of professionals trust to improve the lives of young children and families. Now there’s a definitive guide to this highly respected, theoretically sound model-straight from the leading authority on routines-based intervention.
This book is about digging deeper and looking closer at what it takes to have successful relationships with each and every family. The authors explore seven partnership concepts, brought to life through the words and perspectives of families and professionals themselves.
With a focus on how families and professionals can collaborate effectively so that infants and toddlers learn, grow, and thrive, this book reflects research and best-practices in the field of early intervention. The book includes a chapter on assessment and planning outlining how parents and professionals can work together throughout the process.
This book presents research-based best practices for serving families of children with special needs from birth to age 6. It offers indispensable tools for assessing families, identifying and capitalizing on their strengths, providing information, support, and coaching, collaborating with parents and teachers to address children’s functional needs in the context of everyday routines, and coordinating care.
Videos and Media
This the first of a three part series of short videos featuring three current early intervention service providers sharing their insights into providing supports and services using a routines-based approach. Part 1 features an experienced interventionist sharing her personal journey from a clinical approach to one focusing on family routines and activities as the context for effective early intervention.
This the first of a three part series of short videos featuring three current early intervention service providers sharing their insights into providing supports and services using a routines-based approach. Part 2 features three early interventionists discussing and demonstrating what intervention looks like when it is provided by collaborating with families during their natural routines and activities.
This the first of a three part series of short videos featuring three current early intervention service providers sharing their insights into providing supports and services using a routines-based approach. Part 3 features three early interventionists sharing their insights about how they evolved their practices towards a more effective, routines-based intervention approach.
Presents six stories that demonstrate recommended practices, as a therapist or early childhood specialist works collaboratively with a family to achieve meaningful goals for their child in everyday activities, and places. Facilitator’s guide by Larry Edelman.
This web-conversation will explore strategies service coordinators use to engage in family-centered practices, build family capacity and foster opportunities for family and professional collaboration with families who have high needs.
This webinar discusses the importance of family-centered intervention, the benefits and challenges, and evidence-based strategies to implement family-centered practices. A link to a PDF of the slides is available below the video.
Organizations
The National Resource Center for Family Centered Practice promotes family centered practice within organizations and across systems by contributing to the evidence base on family centered interventions and by translating research and evaluation findings into social work practice.
Articles
Family-centered practice has long been recognized as the preferred method of delivery for EI services for infants and toddlers who have or are at risk of having disabilities.The purpose of this article is to provide a framework that offers a way for EI service providers to better meet the needs of the culturally diverse children and families they serve.
The purpose of this article was to synthesize intervention studies using coaching with parents in early intervention with a focus on (a) definitions and descriptions of coaching with parents; (b) characteristics of families and coaches; (c) parameters such as settings, contexts, dosage, and professional development related to coaching; and (d) child and family outcomes.
This article presents current information on recommended practices related to the delivery of early intervention (EI) supports and services to infants and toddlers with, or at risk for, communication deficits and their families.
This article describes two national surveys that were conducted to identify and categorize the various kinds of activities serving as the sources of learning opportunities for young children birth to 6 years of age in the context of family and community life.
This CASEinPoint includes an operational definition of coaching practices based on research in the human learning, professional development, and helpgiving practices fields.
Web Resources
Florida State University supports this ongoing research endeavor that focuses on developing and validating an early intervention approach that incorporates the Part C of IDEA mandates and the recommended evidence-based practices for supports and services for young children with special needs and their familie
The SpecialQuest Multimedia Training Library supports the inclusion of young children with disabilities birth–five and their families, in early care and education settings. The SpecialQuest materials and approach have been used nationwide, refined over a period of ten years, and have been shown to create and sustain change. Materials on this website are provided at no cost with funding from the Office of Head Start.