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Improving Systems, Practices, and Outcomes

Talking with Families

This page describes resources and best practices related to talking with families about child outcomes and family outcomes. We are committed to including the concerns and voices of parents and families throughout our work, and hope you will find these resources useful in yours.

Family participation in the outcomes measurement process is made up of three main areas:

Informing Families About Child and Family Outcomes

Explaining outcomes and the measurement process to families

Collecting Child and Family Outcomes Data

Including families in the assessment process

Reviewing Child and Family Outcomes Data with Families

Talking with families about child ratings and family needs

Informing Families About Child and Family Outcomes

Informing families about child and family outcomes includes:

  • Program staff define child and family outcomes with families.
  • Program staff describe the purposes of collecting outcomes data, including:
    • Program accountability
    • Measuring child progress
    • Improving practices, interventions, or services
  • Program staff discuss with families the outcomes measurement process in their state or program, including:
    • When children and families are assessed (for example, at entry and exit, or annual survey)
    • How information is gathered about the child and family
    • Tools used for assessment

Collecting Child and Family Outcomes Data

Families participate in the collection of outcomes data in several ways. Collecting information from families for the measurement of child outcomes data is a part of all early intervention and early childhood special education program activities, throughout referral and intake, initial and ongoing child assessment, and measuring child progress.

Families also participate in activities that assess their experiences in the program including family surveys, interviews or focus groups that provide feedback to their child's early intervention or early childhood special education program.

A quality approach to informing families about the collection of child and family outcome data includes:

  • Program staff invite family engagement through multiple options and formats for collecting information about their child and family (for example, interview guides and checklists).
  • Program staff use a strengths-based approach to gather information about the child and family.
  • Program staff use an individualized approach to gather information from families (for example, including communicating in a family's home language and scheduling visits based on the family's schedule).
  • Program staff obtain information about the child in their natural environments (for example, at-home, at childcare, or with familiar adults present).
  • Program staff use multiple sources to gather information about child functioning, which can include direct observation using assessment tools, and structured or informal family interviews.
  • Programs engage families in the outcomes measurement process in an ongoing manner throughout their time in the program.

Reviewing Child and Family Outcomes Data with Families

Families play a vital role in the review of their child's outcomes data throughout their time in early intervention and early childhood special education. Programs must support a family's understanding of the data by informing them about the processes and uses of both child- and family-level data, and by informing them of and reviewing data collected across their program, district, or state.

Child and Family Data

  • Program staff review child level data with families.
  • Program staff accurately describe child's behaviors and skills in an understandable and sensitive manner.
  • Program staff communicate child's skills in relation to ratings in a meaningful way that addresses strengths, needs, and concerns.
  • Program staff ask families for feedback about the accuracy of findings and engage families in meaningful conversations about the findings.
  • Program staff use child and family data to write IFSP/IEP outcomes and plan for services.

Program and State Data

  • Program staff present data in multiple formats and and in plain language.

Resources for Talking with Families