The Department of Developmental Services produced the digital publication, Darby’s Legacy: Best Practices When Serving Families with Infants and Toddlers Who Are Medically Fragile. This document, endorsed by the California Interagency Coordinating Council on Early Intervention, is now available here on the Neighborhood, and elsewhere, to assist Early Start personnel who provide supports and services to families with young children who are medically fragile and likely in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Darby’s Legacy can be downloaded for later retrieval, emailing to a colleague or family, or for printing to share with others. Producing Darby’s Legacy, which honors the memory of Darby Jean and her family, was a labor of love for all involved.
The ICC-Recommended Early Start Personnel Manual (ESPM) describes core knowledge and role-specific competencies needed for early intervention service provision, incorporating current research and evidence in the field of early intervention. To access the ESPM, click here.
This resource is related to the following ESPM knowledge-level competencies:
Core Knowledge (CK):
- CK7: The variety of pre- and peri-natal risk factors such as genetics, maternal health and nutrition, medical complications, prematurity/low birth weight, substance exposure and other teratogens and their effect on the developing embryo/fetus/newborn.
Identification and Referral (IR):
- IR4 (EIS): Knows resource options for services and supports (other than Early Start) in the county/area of residence.
Evaluation and Assessment (EA):
- EA4 (EIS): Knows strategies that support parents/caregivers in identifying and articulating their concerns about their infant/toddler’s development and needs.
Individualized Family Service Plan Development and Review (IFSP-DR):
- IFSP-DR3 (EIS): Knows community agencies and resources such as primary health care, infant/family mental health, social services and parent-parent support groups.
Individualized Family Service Plan Development and Review (IFSP-i):
- IFSP-i7 (EIS): Understands roles of various disciplines and models of teamwork and collaboration that integrate strategies from multiple disciplines.
- IFSP-i10 (EIS): Knows strategies that support parents in providing basic health, nutrition, and safety for infants and toddlers in natural environments.
Transition Planning (TP):
- TP2 (EIS): Understands the impact of change and transitions on children and family dynamics.
- TP3 (EIS): Is informed about a wide variety of community service options including those that typically serve children without disabilities.