• With medical and technological advances, the survival rate of children born prematurely or with low birth weight has significantly increased.

• Children born at a low birth weight or prematurely may experience developmental delays, learning delays, language delays, impaired cognition and behaviours concerns during childhood.

• For young children, early awareness and identification of developmental issues, referral to and receipt of early intervention and early childhood special education could reduce the progression to adverse developmental and educational outcomes.

• The increased risks of developmental problems and educational failure associated with low birth weight and prematurity make early intervention more urgent for this vulnerable population.

Chen, C.-C., Xu, Y., Spence, C., Zhang, F., & Ruiz, A. B. (2020). Low birth weight and prematurity as predictors of children’s receiving special education services. In Early child development and care, 192(5), 831-844 https://doi.org/10.1080/03004430.2020.1804897

• Research into early childhood development tells us intervention is most effective when it begins before age three.

Doyle, O., Harmon, C. P., Heckman, J. J., & Tremblay, R. E. (2009). Investing in early human development: Timing and economic efficiency. Economics and Human Biology, 7(1), 1-6. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ehb.2009.01.002

• From birth to age three, a child’s brain has been shown to have an increase in physical, cognitive, language, and social domains, meaning that experiences and learnings during the early years shape the way the brain develops.

Koch, K. R., & Moore, B. M. (2015). Relating neurodevelopment to early intervention special education: Implications for developing best practices. International Journal of Early Childhood Special Education, 7(1), 51-68. https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/26f8/d5325daa4d1e86d889fe85058dc57a34520b.pdf

• Early intervention services for very young children have shown positive effects on lessening adverse developmental outcomes associated with low birth weight and prematurity.

Chen, C.-C., Xu, Y., Spence, C., Zhang, F., & Ruiz, A. B. (2020). Low birth weight and prematurity as predictors of children’s receiving special education services. In Early child development and care, 192(5), 831-844 https://doi.org/10.1080/03004430.2020.1804897

• The most useful source of support for promotion of personal growth was other parents of children with disabilities. Peers can be a source of hope and help with reframing challenging situations.

Young, S., Shakespeare-Finch, J., & Obst, P. (2020). Raising a child with a disability: a one-year qualitative investigation of parent distress and personal growth. In Disability & society 35 (4), 629-653 https://doi.org/10.1080/09687599.2019.1649637 

• In home supports can provide the benefits of accessibility, relationship building with parents, and better contextual understanding of a family’s situation

Warner, N. (2021). Improvements in Parental Emotional Well-Being During Home Visiting Support: What Works for Whom? In British Journal of Social Work, 51, 3209–3227. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcaa117

• Respite and in home support promote the wellbeing of parents of a child with disabilities living at home. The wellbeing of the parent is linked to the wellbeing of the individual with disabilities.

Forde, H., Lane, H., McCloskey,D., McManus, V & Therney, E. (2004). Link Family Support-an evaluation of an in-home support service. In Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 11, 698–704. 

• Families of children with neurodevelopmental and intellectual disabilities typically experience lower levels of wellbeing than parents of typically developing children.

• One of the contributing factors to this is social isolation.

• Families can experience feelings of social isolation when their child’s behaviours are disruptive, which can cause fear of taking their child out in public settings.

• Social supports can be an important resource in mitigating the stressor of social isolation.

Chakraborti, M., Gitimoghaddam, M., McKellin, W. H., Miller, A. R., & Collet, J. P. (2021). Understanding the implications of peer support for families of children with neurodevelopmental and intellectual disabilities: A scoping review. In Frontiers in Public Health, 9, 1841. https://doi.org/10.3389/FPUBH.2021.719640/BIBTEX