Family-centred practice
About family-centred early intervention
Family-Centred Early Intervention (FCEI) is an approach that puts families at the heart of supporting their child’s development. For over 70 years, experts have recognized that children thrive when their families are actively involved in their learning and wellbeing.
This approach is based on three key principles:
- Building on Strengths – Focusing on what families and children can do, rather than their challenges.
- Family Choice and Control – Ensuring parents have a say in the support and resources they receive.
- Working Together – Creating strong, supportive partnerships between families and professionals.
By following these principles, FCEI helps families feel confident and empowered as they guide their child’s growth and development.
The Family Centered Early Intervention Principles for Children who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing
Access the special issue: https://academic.oup.com/jdsde/issue/29/SI
User-friendly guide
Also available is The User-Friendly Guide. The Family Centered Early Intervention Deaf/Hard of Hearing Principles. A guide for early intervention providers, programs, and families.
Download the user-friendly guide here!
Best Practices in Family-Centered Early Intervention for Children Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing: An International Consensus Statement
In 2012, members of GPODHH participated in the International Consensus Conference on Family-Centred Early Intervention (FCEI) for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children in Bad Ischl, Austria. An International consensus statement was published in 2013 with 10 best practice principles.
Principle 1: Early, Timely, & Equitable Access to Services
Screening and confirmation that a child is D/HH will be effective to the degree that they are linked with immediate, timely, and equitable access to appropriate interventions.
Principle 2: Family/Provider Partnerships
A goal of FCEI is the development of balanced partnerships between families and the professionals supporting them. Family-provider partnerships are characterized by reciprocity, mutual trust, respect, honesty, shared tasks, and open communication.
Principle 3: Informed Choice and Decision Making
Professionals promote the process wherein families gain the necessary knowledge, information, and experiences to make fully informed decisions. This includes educating families regarding special education laws and their rights as defined by these laws. Decision making is seen as a fluid, ongoing process. Families may adapt or change decisions in response to the child’s and families’ changing abilities, needs, progress, and emotional well-being.
Principle 4: Family Social & Emotional Support
Families are connected to support systems so they can accrue the necessary knowledge and experiences that can enable them to function effectively on behalf of their D/HH children.
Principle 5: Family Infant Interaction
Families and providers work together to create optimal environments for language learning.
Principle 6: Use of Assistive Technologies and Supporting Means of Communication
Providers must be skilled in the tools, assistive devices, and mechanisms necessary to optimally support the child´s language and communication development.
Principle 7: Qualified Providers
Providers are well trained and have specialized knowledge and skills related to working with children who are D/HH and their families. Providers possess the core competencies to support families in optimizing the child’s development and child-family well-being.
Principle 8: Collaborative Teamwork
An optimal FCEI team focuses on the family and includes professionals with experience in promoting early development of children who are D/HH. Ongoing support is provided to families and children through transdisciplinary teamwork, whereby professionals with the requisite skills are matched to the needs of the child and family.
Principle 9: Progress Monitoring
FCEI is guided by regular monitoring/assessment of child and family outcomes.
Principle 10: Program Monitoring
FCEI programs evaluate provider adherence to best practices and include quality assurance monitors for all program elements.
More information
- A Parent's Guide to Deaf and Hard of Hearing Early Intervention Recommendations has been published by Hands & Voices (US).
- Moeller, M. P., Carr, G., Seaver, L., Stredler Brown, A., & Holzinger, D. (2013). Best practices in family centered early intervention for children who are deaf or hard of hearing: An international consensus statement. Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education, 18, 429-445. doi:10.1093/deafed/ent034