Introductory description

This module will provide an overview of early intervention as a means of improving the life chances of children, with particular reference to addressing the adverse effect of social disadvantage and special educational needs and disabilities, especially autism or intellectual disability.

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

1. Introduction: From early identification of individual children to early intervention on a
   local area and national scale.
2. National advocates for Early Intervention: learning from recent research on the role of the
   Early Intervention Foundation and of the Big Lottery Fund’s Early Intervention
   programmes in driving changing practice.
3. Parenting programmes as early intervention: learning from recent research on targeted
   and universal delivery modes.
4. Early development in children with intellectual and developmental disabilities including
   autism.
5. Principles and the practice of early intervention for children with intellectual and
   developmental disabilities including autism, and their families.
6. Early intervention for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities including
   autism: The state of the evidence.
7. Further issues in early intervention for children with intellectual and developmental
   disabilities including autism: Impact and outcomes for family members, long term effects
   of early intervention, and cost effectiveness.
8. The emergence and development of early intervention as a public policy option in relation
   to health, education and social policy in England.
9. Critically engaging with academic and political critiques of the early intervention model.
10. From research evidence to local and national policy and practice.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Understand the origin and rationale for early intervention; the technical issues regarding early intervention of children and parents that might benefit; the range of foci for early intervention.
• Provide an account of the emergence and development of the early intervention model of public policy implementation.
• Have an increased understanding of how government policy and arm’s length national organisations influence local early intervention practice.
• Understand the nature of, and factors influencing early psycho-social development in children with intellectual and developmental disabilities including autism.
• Have an increased understanding of local and other constraints that also shape practice on the ground.
• Discuss the key policy documents relating to the early intervention model, and be able to discuss the nature of the cross-party consensus relating to the model.
• Critically engage with recent research methods and findings related to early intervention.
• Describe general principles and example approaches to early intervention with children with intellectual and developmental disabilities including autism.
• Critically evaluate the evidence base for early intervention approaches for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities including autism.
• Provide an account of current policy and practice relating to early intervention and the implications for the development of local and national services and policy.

Indicative reading list

Reading lists can be found in Talis

Specific reading list for the module

Interdisciplinary

Psychology, public administration, and policy in practice.

Subject specific skills

• the diversity of learners and the complexities of the education process.
• the complexity of the interaction between learning and local and global contexts, and the extent to which participants (including learners and teachers) can influence the learning process.
• the societal and organisational structures and purposes of educational systems, and the possible implications for learners and the learning process.
• constructively critique theories, practice and research in the area of education.
• constructively critique theories, practice and research in the area of child development.
• critically explore, examine and evaluate the significance of the cultural, historical and contemporary features of various policies, institutions and agencies in regard to babies, young children and childhood.
• plan for, and where appropriate implement, play and the curriculum, assessment, evaluation and improvement of creative learning opportunities, taking account of young children's health and emotional well-being.
• lead, support and work collaboratively with others and demonstrate an understanding of working effectively in teams with parents, carers and other professionals.
• generate and explore hypotheses and research questions relating to early childhood in an ecological context.
• carry out empirical studies ethically involving a variety of methods of data collection, including observation relating to early childhood in an ecological context.
• analyse data relating to early childhood.
• present and evaluate research findings in early childhood.
• demonstrate a critical understanding of the interrelationships between political, economic, cultural and ideological contexts in the lives of children and their families and communities .

Transferable skills

• Active listening.
• Analysis and decision making.
• Application of numeracy.
• Attitudes and aptitudes for work.
• Basic numeracy skills.
• Character/personality.
• Cognitive flexibility.
• Communication skills.
• Complex problem solving.
• Confidence.
• Coordinating with others.
• Critical thinking.
• Data handling.
• Initiative and also follow instructions.
• Intellectual ability.
• International cultural awareness.
• Interpersonal and communication.
• Judgement and decision making.
• Literacy.
• Management of learning.
• Planning and organisational skills.
• Positive attitudes to work.
• Problem solving.
• Quality Control.
• Reasoning.
• Self-management/resilience.
  Team working.