| Description |
Having a child who qualifies for EI in and of itself places stressors on parents. For example, parents must forge multiple new relationships with therapists. Weekly schedules must be modified to accommodate home visits by therapists. And, parents must adjust their expectation for the ‘idealized’ child to bond with the ‘real’ child who has special needs, processing their feelings and others’ reactions. When families’ living circumstances present additional stressors (e.g., limited economic resources, limited family supports, dangerous neighborhoods) parents may find it difficult to fully engage in the EI program. This workshop will utilize a case consultation model to explore strategies service coordinators may try to support parents in managing stress: for example, identifying community resources, utilization of social work and psychological service providers, considering co-treatment provider teams to facilitate optimum family support. A small group of service coordinators (5-10) will share their experiences with families on their caseload and the group will discuss strategy options for intervention.
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