This article, by Alice Paige-Smith and JonathanRix, considers the current context of early intervention in England from the perspective and experiences of two families and in particular focuses on two young children identified as having Down syndrome. This case study research has emerged from previous research conducted by the authors, both of whom are Senior Lecturers at the Open University and have a wealth of experience across all phases of education. Their previous research involved interviews with parents of children diagnosed as having Down syndrome, which raised further questions about early intervention and the pedagogical relationship between the parent and the child, and recognised that 'early intervention' can be more than structured activities led by professionals. The research in this article, which has been funded by the British Academy, used ethnographic methodology to understand the process of early intervention with two young children with Down syndrome and their families. The methodology developed to include narrative first-person observation of the child and photography. In addition to this a method of reflecting on the process of early intervention developed that included the researchers, the parent and the child. The development of this research methodology is considered in detail in this article.

The early intervention experiences of three children with Down Syndrome aged 3 -4 years old will be described and placed within the context of early years and inclusive education policy and practice in England (DfES, 2001(DfES, , 2003a 2004a; TSO, 2003; QCA, 2000). Recent recognition within Government policy towards increased parental involvement in the learning of young children will be considered within the context of inclusive education and early years policy and practice. The ways in which parents are encouraged to be involved in developing the learning of their children and their support from professional services will be considered. The parents' views and experiences enable a conceptualisation of the implementation of policy and practice, in relation to the opportunities provided and the difficulties encountered. The tensions identified raise questions about whether parents are receiving the kinds of support they need and expect, and in particular whether suitable consideration has been given to the pedagogic models being applied through early intervention programmes.

This paper considers the agency and identity of parents of children with Down Syndrome within early intervention. It draws upon semi-structured, conversational interviews with nine parents, and the reflections of one of the authors upon their experiences within early intervention programmes. It considers how representations of the deficit-model permeate the participation of the parent in this process. It explores the multiple identities of the parents and links these to notions of parental participation within the current policy context of early intervention in England. The notion of parental agency is an implicit driver within the current early intervention programmes, yet it appears to be compromised by the nature of those programmes.(6371 words)

The need for reflection is widely written about and positioned as a key aspect of continuing professional development. This paper examines the manner in which practitioners are encouraged to be reflective within the English system and the barriers they face. It questions whether such a complex, reaffirming system can allow for genuine critical engagement, how we come to buy into our models of thinking and their impact upon our understanding of learners and their skills. The paper highlights the importance of reflection particularly in relation to issues of inclusion, and explores the challenges using recent ethnographic research with families of young children with a label of Down syndrome. It challenges our focus upon the individual and through a socio‐cultural model of development demonstrates the need for practitioners to reflect upon the developing context which we create and out of which we are created.

The article reports the views of parents of children with Down syndrome in the United Kingdom, and those of a parent-researcher, who have recently been or are currently involved in early intervention programmes. It reports on a series of semi-structured interviews with nine parents of eight children with Down syndrome and the reflective engagement of the parent-researcher. The parents reflect upon learning moments and activities with their child that have been most enjoyable, effective and easy to carry out, as well as those that were difficult or a potential cause of conflict. They also prioritise situations that had a positive impact upon their child's learning. This research adds a parental voice to evidence that suggests a need to place a greater emphasis on learning that comes from the child's interests and less upon developmental goals, and the positive impact this may have for both the parents and children currently being encouraged to engage in early intervention programmes. Background: parents, professionals and early intervention All parents who participated in this research have been involved in early intervention programmes intended to support the development of their young children with Down syndrome until entry into the school system. The growing emphasis on the value of early intervention can be traced to programmes developed in the late 1960s in the United States. However, since the 1990s, it has been increasingly recognised that this approach needs to be family centred (