Interview

1
In addition to observation, another method of
gathering information is interviewing...
Interview
2
During the intake process, information is
collected about families concerns through
interviewing. Additionally, this method of
information gathering is used to ensure the
validity of results obtained during the
developmental screening and evaluation. For
example, families may be asked if childrens
behaviors displayed during testing are typical of
their behaviors exhibited during routines and
activities at home.
.
3
Before an interview begins, the interviewer
should let families know that

• All information will be kept confidential and not
  shared with anyone without their verbal and
  written consent.
• The information will be used to help the early
  intervention team develop and implement an
  intervention plan.
• If they feel uncomfortable answering any
  questions or responding to comments by the
  interviewer, they do not have to reply.

4
The best interviews are respectful and
conversational, creating an open and honest
communication environment in which families feel
valued. Families of children with developmental
challenges often experience a myriad of emotions.
They might be frightened by the future, want
answers to questions and be angry at anyone
involved in their childrens care. Only in an
open and honest communication environment can
families trust an interviewer enough to share
sensitive information about their children and
families.
Lets take a look at a few ways to communicate
with family members that are most likely to be
helpful, effective, and respectful.
5
, To engage in an effective and respectful
interview and gather information to make informed
decisions

• Avoid , yes-no and single response questions.
• Encourage thoughtfulness by allowing families the
  time to think about answers to questions.
• Respect moments of silence.
• Instead of asking wh questions, ask families to
  tell or describe a routine or activity (e.g.,
  Tell me about how he wakes up in the morning.).
• Ask one question at a time.
• Respect families decisions and cultural beliefs
  .
• Actively LISTEN to families.

6
LISTENING to families is critical. Families of
children with disabilities have often told their
story to many people. It is important to follow
families leads in relation to how and when they
want to tell their story. Please avoid asking
unnecessary questions that will not be useful for
planning or implementing early intervention.
As you interview, LISTEN to families and pay
attention to how they listen to you. Active
listening is an important part of the early
intervention process, especially during the
initial interactions with families. These first
contacts provide opportunities for you to LISTEN
to families concerns and priorities, and begin
to develop an understanding of what is important
to them. There are many different ways to
listen to families, including observing and
reading body language and facial expressions.
This non-verbal communication can provide
valuable information about families comfort in
sharing information with you. Additionally, you
can assess their comprehension of the information
you are sharing with them (i.e., what they may or
may not be understanding).
7
RememberActive Listening means

• Being attentive
• Reflecting what has been said you mentioned
  that
• Asking for clarification Tell me more about.
• Summarizing with statements like I think what I
  heard you saying was
• Remembering open body language (uncrossed arms)

8
Avoid Barriers to Active Listening
Advising stops families from sharing important
information
Comparing avoid making comparisons between
children
Judging makes families feel defensive
Placating do not promise that things will be
better or tell families not to worry
Changing Topic follow the families lead, do not
change topics of conversation
Mind Reading do not interrupt families and
complete their ideas as if you know what they are
thinking
Rushing give families time to share their ideas,
feelings and concerns
Blaming avoid blaming and beginning any sentence
with You need.
Assuming do not assume that you know more about
the child than the family
Discounting do not discount anything families say
or tell them their concerns are not important
9
Every interaction you have with FAMILIES either
helps to build a bridge of understanding or a
barrier to a trusting and respectful
relationship. Early intervention is based on
family-centered principles you must respect all
cultural beliefs. It is your responsibility,
as an early intervention professional, to be
sensitive to cultural differences and their
impact on child rearing practices, family
structure and child development.
Click here to read about working with families
from diverse backgrounds
10
Interviewing can also be used to link assessment
information to intervention planning. After
being deemed eligible to receive early
intervention services and supports in Louisiana,
a more comprehensive interview, the Family
Assessment of Concerns, Priorities and Resources
(CPR), is conducted with families to gain more
information about the families daily routines
and activities. This information is utilized to
determine what routines and activities are
working for families and which ones they would
like to change, resulting in the development of
an intervention plan. Go to the website
www.earlysteps.dhh.louisiana.gov and click on
the information for providers and go to chapter
5 of the practice manual to learn more about the
CPR.

11
Family Assessment of Concerns, Priorities
Resources (CPR)

• Learning about families concerns, priorities,
  and resources
• is a critical aspect of the EarlySteps assessment
  
• process. The interviewer, typically the Intake
  Coordinator,
• talks with family members and other caregivers to
  learn
• about..
• Childrens development
• Families activities
• Families routines
• Families resources.
• You can use the information from the ASQ to
  assist in
• completing the CPR.
• Please note that the focus for children's
  development in the
• CPR collects information from child and family
  routines.

12
The next two sections of the CPR are designed
to gather information about how children function
in everyday activities and routines.
In early intervention, the term routines
refers to what children and families do on a
daily basis (e.g., eating, waking up, getting
ready for child care, dressing, play, winding
down when they get home from work, going grocery
shopping, bathing, dressing, and getting ready
for bed). Routines and activities may be
similar or differ dramatically across families.
With the CPR, families discuss how children
participate in daily routines and activities and
if they are not satisfied with these routines and
activities, they talk about how they would LIKE
them to be.
13
For example, families may discuss the
difficulties they experience participating in
community activities, like attending church on a
regular basis because their children become too
upset in the nursery. Additionally, families
may request assistance with mealtimes, because
their children have feeding difficulties and it
takes a long time to eat. Some questions about
family resources on the CPR may seem intrusive to
families however, it is up to the families to
decide if they are comfortable with answering
these questions or not. Answers to these
questions may help the early intervention team
better understand the challenges faced by
families, identify their existing resources and
what resources are needed to best support their
children. Information obtained during the CPR
interview is used to develop and prioritize
outcomes for children and families and
intervention planning.
14

• Routines Based Interview (RBI)

EarlySteps has modified the Routines Based
Interview (RBI) to obtain information for the
CPR. Robin McWilliam, PhD, developed the
Routines Based Interview (RBI) to gather
meaningful information from families about
childrens development, families activities and
routines, and childrens participation and
interaction during these activities and routines
for intervention planning. Click on the link
below to read a document about the power of
the RBI written by Dr. McWilliam.
Please review the VEE diagram on the next slide,
which displays the why, what and how of
interviewing families to gather information and
make informed decisions..
www.fpg.unc.edu/inclusion/RBI.pdf
15
Interviewing Families
Conceptual
Methodological
Why am I interviewing? INTAKE Health history form
To collect unknown facts about childs
heath/medical history Comprehensive Development
Assessment forms To collect
unknown facts about childs
developmental history Family
Assessment of Concerns Priorities Resources
Form To collect information about how child and
family during daily routines and priorities for
intervention planning

• How well am I interviewing?
• Are my questions
• Necessary and Relevant?
• Sensitive?
• Acceptable to family?
• Open Ended?
• Conversational?

What are the known and unknown facts about child
family?