Federal Regulations of IDEA:
“Early intervention services must be provided in natural environments, including the home and community settings in which children without disabilities participate, to the maximum extent that is appropriate.” (Sec. 303.12)
Statute/Regs Main » Regulations » Part C » Subpart A » Section 303.26
303.26 Natural environments.
Natural environments means settings that are natural or typical for a same-aged infant or toddler without a disability, may include the home or community settings, and must be consistent with the provisions of §303.126.
From Pacer.org, an organization that supports families and educators of children with disabilities:
“What is a natural environment? A natural environment is any place your child and family live, learn, and play. It includes:
Settings, such as your home, backyard, or place of work. Settings also include places such as a child-care site, relative’s home, park, grocery store, or library.
Materials, which can be anything found in your child’s physical environment— toys, rocks, books, swings, grass, spoons, a high chair, or a favorite wagon.
People, such as parents, siblings, relatives, friends, neighbors, teachers, or anyone else with whom your child might interact.
Activities that incorporate the interests and routines of your child and family. These might be daily activities such as eating, bathing, and dressing; recreation such as playing, reading, walking, camping, swimming, and going to the playground; and community participation such as going to worship, celebrating holidays, taking part in cultural practices, going to the grocery store, and riding in different forms of transportation.”
Taken from Pacer.org ACTion Information Sheet PHP-c178 “Natural Environments Support Early Intervention Services” http://www.pacer.org/parent/php/PHP-c178.pdf accessed April 28 2024.
Special Instruction Takes Place in Natural Environments which vary from child to child.
My Experiences as a Special Instructor
In my experience, special instruction takes place mostly in the home, childcare, grandparents’ house, or auntie’s house. Wherever the child spends a large portion of her day, that is where her natural environment is.
As you may have noticed from the above quote from Pacer.org, the natural environment includes much more than the setting. It also refers to people and materials. For today, I am talking about setting.
Home-Based Special Instruction
Home is the most common environment. The parents and I schedule my visits around the work schedules of both parents or one parent stays home to take care of the child(ren) and can be available at a regular time and day each week.
Pros:
- I get a real glimpse into what a normal life is like for the child. I see what their house is like. I see them being real. I can use their toys, see what furniture or home layout we can work with, etc.
- I have noticed that the relationship seems to grow better. I experience their authentic selves more as a family. All of these things are probably because they are “letting me in,” Letting me into their home and into their lives.
Cons:
- Sometimes, it can be icky. Not everyone has the same living standards or opinions about bugs as I do. Not that there’s anything wrong with that; it’s just something to consider.
- Sometimes it can be scary. There may be things going on in that home that are not legal. Or safe. Remember, even criminals have children with disabilities and love their babies.
- Sometimes, schedules can be tricky to work out, especially if both parents work or their schedules vary weekly. This can make service less consistent.
- Often, in rural settings, the children on my caseload live far away from each other and me. I’m driving 20-30 minutes between each home visit. I’m not going to lie. That makes it harder.
Special Instruction in Child Care Settings
This is the second most common on my caseload. Childcare means different things to different families. Grandparents or aunts and uncles care for young children in families with a deep extended family support system. I have had mixed results regarding family cooperation in those environments. The belief in the need for early intervention varies between family members.
Some children go to a family friend’s home, which is just an informal childcare arrangement. In my experience, these childcare providers tend to view themselves as just babysitting and don’t really want the intrusion (of me) into their homes. Sometimes, this family or friend caregiver is more invested in this baby’s intervention than anyone else in this baby’s life. Coaching with this caregiver is worth its weight in gold in those circumstances.
Many times, children go to a state-licensed commercial childcare center—a center with classrooms, teachers, teacher assistance, staff, schedules, bells and whistles—or none of those things. Just like cooperation between family members varies from one family member to the next, childcare center cooperation varies from one center to the next.
In general, a high-quality childcare center wants to help its babies. It is up to date with best practices and early intervention techniques and is willing to cooperate.
As a former childcare teacher working hard to appease all of those programs, I identify with the plight of the child care teacher. I enjoy working to support them with a child when they have questions.
Pros:
- If the child does spend most of her waking hours in their childcare arrangement, this is inevitably the environment you need to be in to be effective. Good childcare usually equals a good relationship to Early Intervention.
Cons:
- Even though the parents have enrolled their child in Early Intervention and requested services, these caregivers may not have ” buy-in.”
- Child care centers have limited times when you can go where they don’t resent your presence. They don’t want you there during lunch or breakfast because they are too busy serving and cleaning up. They obviously don’t want you there while you are napping. The primary teacher’s shift is usually over at 3:00 or so, right after nap. It is hard to catch your window of opportunity with a child who goes to a traditional child care center—hard, but not impossible.
- Poor-quality child care may equal poor-quality relationships (distrust) with early intervention. Every situation is different. Tread lightly.
UNUSUAL PLACES For Special Instruction
Waiting room of the health department
Once or twice, I have agreed to meet the family in the health department while they wait for their vaccines or WIC appointments. These children had homes with CHAOTIC schedules. Family members juggle work, make doctor appointments, and take care of older children’s activities. I knew I would lose them if I didn’t at least meet this family where they were both literally and figuratively. In those cases, the parent and I talked, and I played with the baby briefly in my lap or with the activity box in the waiting room. It wasn’t a waste. Other children were modeling the skills I was trying to teach. The parent got something from our visit. We kept the relationship going and were able to meet at home in the future.
Front porch
It just became normal that we would sit on the front porch swing with the baby in our arms, talk about his development and upcoming doctor appointments, and play peek-a-boo and pat-a-cake.
Dollar General
We had a schedule crunch once, and the grandmother had completely forgotten about our visit. She had “gone to town” with the baby. She wouldn’t be home until the end of the day. So…we agreed to meet at Dollar General while she picked up her groceries. While she shopped, I joined her as we discussed progress in his learning to walk. If we had not agreed to meet in Dollar General, we would have waited over a month to meet again because of the scheduling chaos with this family.
Local park:
Let me just start by reminding you of a few things. Some homes are hot in the summer. Some homes are buggy. Some homes have a daddy who works the night shift and doesn’t want us to be loud. Some homes are all three. SO…. we go to the park! I have met many, many of my little friends this way. I can come up with a way to teach almost anything in a playground, given enough motivation. Bugs, cranky daddies, and lack of air conditioning in August are plenty of motivation.
McDonald’s and Chick-fil-A playground
This is the same as going to a park, except you don’t get rained out. Plus, there are almost always peers of the same age there. And you can bribe with french fries.
Back of a store
Sometimes, mamas and daddies own a small business, and you do what you gotta do. Even if that means sitting on the floor of a gourmet cupcake shop getting flour on your butt.
Vacation Bible School Nursery
YES! This was fun. I feel like I opened up some church volunteer minds that day.
UNUSUAL PLACES For Special Instruction
Pros:
Obviously, you are working together to find a solution. YAY, teamwork!
Cons:
Often, these unusual settings for Special Instruction are not a true natural environment but rather a decision made for the convenience of the adults in this child’s life. I admit I have been guilty of suggesting the park because I wanted to get out of a stinky house, not necessarily because it was the “best” for the child.
The natural environment ideally is not an “oops, we forgot you were coming, let’s meet at the Dollar General” situation, but it can be. Ideally parents and caregivers have bought into the importance of the service and make it a priority in their child’s life. Sometimes, this happens immediately. The relationship between the Special Instructor (or other early intervention team members) and the parent is strong and awesome from day one. Oftentimes, this relationship is delicate and needs to be strengthened with understanding over time.
One way to show understanding is to be flexible with home visit expectations. If you are willing to meet them at Dollar General, the doctor’s waiting room, or the back of a store, you are showing that you are committed to meeting them where they are—literally.
Further Reading:
IDEA Statute and Regulations of IDEA https://sites.ed.gov/idea/statuteregulations
Natural Environments Support Early
Intervention Services from Pacer.org https://www.pacer.org/parent/php/PHP-c178.pdf
All Things Early Intervention 