Despite evidence that frequent progress monitoring to identify children at-risk of delays and inform early intervention services improves child outcomes, this practice is rare in infant–toddler settings where children could benefit the most from early intervention. Using a descriptive research design within an Implementation Science framework, we evaluated how 10 community-based infant–toddler agencies implemented a standardized progress monitoring assessment using a web application to monitor children’s growth and identify children at-risk for delay. An Implementation Index was developed to quantify implementation progress for each agency, which included their percent of tasks completed, and rate of task implementation over time. Staff turnover and high staff:child ratios were associated with low implementation of progress monitoring. The Implementation Index differentiated between agencies that otherwise demonstrated similar implementation rates. Implications for supporting progress monitoring and other evidence-based practices in community-based infant–toddler childcare settings are discussed.
Universal screening and progress monitoring are evidence-based practices in early intervention/early childhood special education (EI/ECSE). Individual Growth and Development Indicators (IGDIs) for infants/toddlers are measures that programs can use for universal screening, progress monitoring, intervention decision-making, and accountability. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, IGDIs were administered and scored exclusively in person by certified early educators. Because of COVID-19, EI/ECSE practitioners could no longer conduct in-person assessments. We report how two early intervention programs implemented IGDIs using remote protocols that included (a) preparation of parents for IGDI administration at home, (b) session observation by program staff using videoconferencing, and (c) remote coding of the child’s performance by program staff when interacting with a parent/caregiver play partner using the standard toy set. The remote protocols are described, and uptake by the programs is compared before and during the pandemic. Equivalence of children’s scores from in-person versus remote protocols is reported, as well as caregivers’ and program staff’s preferences. Implications for remote early childhood services are discussed.
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