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Although parents of children with disabilities often advocate for special education services, most research has only examined advocacy from the perspectives of parents. Given that advocacy is an interpersonal exchange, it is crucial to understand the perspectives of parents and school professionals. In this study, focus groups were conducted with 47 parents of children with disabilities and school professionals (i.e., special education teachers and speech language pathologists) regarding how parents advocate for supports, desired social-communication supports, the impact of advocacy, and the perceptions of school professionals toward advocacy. Parents and school professionals reported similar advocacy strategies and desired social-communication supports. Parents and professionals also reported that advocacy can yield positive outcomes for children with disabilities. However, parents reported that some school professionals negatively perceived parent advocacy and that parent advocacy can yield negative outcomes, whereas school professionals reported positively perceiving parent advocacy. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

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FCCH in Nebraska were able to strengthen their policies and practices after utilizing Go NAP SACC. Continued professional development and participation in targeted interventions may assist programmes in sustaining improved practices and policies. Considering the varying standards and policies surrounding FCCH, future studies comparing the current findings with childcare centres and non-CACFP programmes are warranted.

Understanding the contexts in which young children develop is essential for promoting positive outcomes. In this study, the researchers used focus groups to investigate the perspectives of 14 parents across rural North Carolina concerning ecocultural features that enhanced or prevented sustained engagement with their infants and toddlers with disabilities or delays. Parents perceived ecocultural features as having either a positive influence or no influence on their engagement. They also reported actively making accommodations to interrupt potential barriers to engagement. Results highlight the adaptive capacities of families in rural communities and delineate community resources that might contribute to sustainable intervention practices.

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