| In my first years as an early childhood teacher in a | | | | The family knows the child best |
| small private preschool, if one of the children in my | | | | We see the child for part of their day and the family |
| care was not following the 'norms' of development, it | | | | (in many forms) knows the child for hours and years |
| was not clear to me what I should do. As we all know, | | | | that we don't. We see the child in one environment, the |
| the early childhood field can have a fast turn over of | | | | family sees them in many. We need to offer our |
| staff in child care centres, and often the Directors or | | | | perspective from the setting that we see the child in. |
| Authorised Supervisors have just as little or less field | | | | We need to be clear and concise about our concerns, |
| experience as other staff. | | | | allow the family time to absorb what we are saying, |
| My confidence as a teacher was the key..."was I right | | | | and to ask questions. |
| in suspecting a learning difficulty?" With little experience | | | | The family has the ultimate decision as to what to do |
| and only 3 years of theoretical knowledge at | | | | with the information |
| University dotted with intervals of practical teaching, I | | | | We cannot make a family seek further support for |
| wasn't always confident in my "gut feelings" or | | | | their child's development. Families have the right to |
| suspicions of a learning difficulty. | | | | disagree with our observations. They also have a right |
| With years of teaching experience now behind me, | | | | to disagree with us initially while they process the |
| including in early intervention support, coupled with the | | | | information, and to come back at a later time to |
| understanding from a parent's perspective, I would like | | | | discuss things further. I remember working with one |
| to offer some suggestions of what to do when we, as | | | | mother for 12 months, offering my professional opinion |
| early childhood teachers, suspect that a child in our | | | | gently over time and waiting. In time, the mother sought |
| care has a learning difficulty. The important thing to | | | | the advice of her pediatrician and the child began early |
| remember is that it's not up to us to make a decision | | | | intervention support. |
| that a child has or doesn't have a learning difficulty. Our | | | | The family may go through phases of denial, grief |
| responsibilities lie with gathering developmental | | | | This is where my perspective as a parent really helps |
| information, knowing what professionals to refer a | | | | me to understand the emotions of families who are |
| family to, and supporting parents through the process | | | | coming to realize that their child may struggle in certain |
| Observations | | | | areas of their development...for a time or for life. I |
| The question I asked myself as a young teacher "was | | | | cannot imagine coming to realize that my child would |
| I right in suspecting a learning difficulty"? was more | | | | have to face battles of learning through the eyes of |
| about me and my confidence in my ability. Really, we | | | | autism or global delay. We need to be sensitive in our |
| should be asking the question "is there a possibility that | | | | approach and offer a listening ear or shoulder to cry. |
| this child has a learning difficulty"? The answer comes | | | | We also need to offer families hope that early |
| from our knowledge of child development norms, and | | | | intervention can really help a child, and that difficulties of |
| our observations which will tell us if a child is moving | | | | learning may be for a season. My husband's speech |
| outside those norms. It is very important to remember | | | | couldn't be understood even by his mother at age 3, |
| that 'norms' have a very wide range. Developmental | | | | and he was identified as being at a yr 2 reading level in |
| 'norms' take away the comparison between children in | | | | year 6. As an adult, his job now requires him to speak |
| our care and allow us to see where we would expect | | | | publicly on a weekly basis and he has completed 2 |
| children of certain ages to be sitting in their | | | | degrees and is studying at a doctorate level. |
| development. | | | | Avenues Of Referral |
| It is also important to remember that a child sitting | | | | As early childhood services, we need to be informed |
| outside 'norms' of development may not necessarily | | | | about the referral agencies available to our families. As |
| have a learning difficulty. However, this decision can be | | | | a new graduate, I had no idea where to begin. Let me |
| left in the hands of those in professions specific to | | | | offer a few broad suggestions, after which each child |
| particular developmental areas, such as speech and | | | | care service needs to research their own community |
| occupational therapists. | | | | networks: |
| If a child is moving outside 'norms' of development in | | | | The child's G.P. |
| one or more developmental areas, then we should | | | | The child's paediatrician |
| make our formal observations into a developmental | | | | The Local Community Health Centre - which should |
| report. This report should not make suggestions as to | | | | include speech therapists, occupational therapists, |
| what we suspect might be the concern. For example, | | | | hearing testing, physiotherapists and social workers. |
| we should not include that a child is displaying "autistic | | | | These services include diagnostic assessments and |
| behaviours", as we are not qualified to make that | | | | ongoing therapy in particular developmental area and |
| judgment. Instead, we should be objective and report | | | | are usually available free of charge |
| on the specific behaviours we observe (eg the child | | | | Diagnostic Service |
| maintains little or no eye contact). As an early | | | | Private Therapists - waiting lists for community health |
| childhood teacher you might say "but this is not written | | | | centres can be very long, but may be a family's only |
| in positive language". I understand that we look at the | | | | option. Other families may have the financial resources |
| positive aspects of a child's development in our | | | | for private therapy. One compromise may be to see if |
| observations. However, I feel that therapists need | | | | the family has the financial resources for an initial |
| concise and specific information when reading reports, | | | | private assessment, which can allow the family and |
| and while our language should not be negative, it should | | | | centre staff to work on some areas of development |
| be specific. | | | | while on the waiting list for ongoing therapy at a |
| Professional Advice | | | | community health centre. |
| We need to seek the advice of other professionals in | | | | If or when the family choose to seek further advice on |
| our child care centre, ensuring we maintain | | | | their child's development, any developmental reports |
| professionalism and confidentiality. Often the best way | | | | you have completed should be offered to the family to |
| this can be done is by asking another team member | | | | take with them. |
| (possibly the Director or Authorised Supervisor) to also | | | | Supporting the Child's Development |
| make specific observations and to give their opinion on | | | | Whether a family seek further clarification from |
| whether a child is moving within developmental norms | | | | professionals about their child's development or not, |
| for their age. | | | | whether we are waiting for assessments and reports, |
| Partnering With Parents | | | | or a child is receiving early intervention therapy, we |
| I think this was the part of the process I dreaded the | | | | need to continue supporting all areas of their |
| most....discussing my concerns with the child's family. | | | | development. We need to continue to view them as a |
| This fear was not helpful to the family because I would | | | | child in our care first and foremost, see the whole |
| stumble around trying to express my concerns, which | | | | picture, encourage their strengths and then help their |
| often confused them more. My time in early | | | | specific areas of need. |
| intervention support helped me to clarify 3 key points: | | | | |