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Children with Problem Behavior: CFS Offers Help in Three New Projects - Inclusive Early Childhood Programs

Inclusive Early Childhood Programs

The US Department of Education has provided funding for a three-year grant that will allow staff from the Division of Applied Research and Educational Support (DARES) within the Department of Child and Family Studies (CFS) to study three inclusive early childhood programs. The study, Ecological Support for Young Children with Challenging Behavior, Their Peers, and Teachers, will examine how young children, with and without disabilities, learn work and play together. It will focus on developing an understanding of how children with challenging behaviors can best learn to participate positively with peers and teachers in a classroom setting.

"In coming to understand these children's social status in peer relationships and the classroom culture, we will understand how to support the children with challenging behaviors, their peers, and the significant adults in their life," said CFS's Pamela Buschbacher, PI of the project.

The participating programs share this vision for what the study can offer. "Year after year we see children being removed from inclusive classrooms purely because of their behavior," said Pamela F. Stamey, director of Academy at the Farm, one of the programs participating in the study. "We are very interested in a practical model of intervention that will support our children with challenging behavior. With a project such as yours, I believe we will be able to stop this trend and all children will benefit from the outcome."

"As an inclusionary early childhood program, we seek to meet the needs of all our students," commented Patti Hansen, Director of Clinical Services at United Cerebral Palsy of Tampa Bay. "We are confident that your project would provide particular insight regarding reduction of problem behavior and facilitation of social and communication skills."

Research findings will be used to develop and provide a practical model of intervention. The results will be disseminated widely through conference presentations, peer-reviewed publications, consumer-oriented articles for teachers and parents, and presentations for teachers, parents, and young children.

"Parents of children with a history of challenging behavior will meet with us to serve as resources regarding their child's needs related to peer interaction and friendship development," added Pamela. "These are parents experienced with positive behavior support and person centered planning."

Questions to be addressed will include:

• What role(s) do children with challenging behavior play within the early childhood peer and classroom cultures?

• What are the early childhood educator's and peer's perceptions of the child with challenging behavior?

• What is the impact of challenging behavior on the development of peer relationships?

• What are parents'/guardians' perceptions of the peer relationships for the child with challenging behavior?

• How is challenging behavior typically managed?

Additional staff on this project include CFS's Lise Fox, who will serve as Faculty Advisor and Anne Bauer, University of Cincinnati, will serve as a second project advisor. For more information, contact Pamela Buschbacher at 813-974-8561.

CARD is located within the Department of Child and Family Studies (CFS), a division of the Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute at the University of South Florida. Since its inception in 1984, the Institute's mission has been to improve service delivery systems for children with serious emotional or behavioral disabilities and their families.

CFS Helps Train Educators

Pasco Hernando Jobs and Education Partnership Regional Board, Inc. is funding a new training project that will focus on helping early childhood educators be more prepared in supporting children with challenging behavior."Unfortunately, young children with challenging behavior are typically asked to leave early childhood programs," said CFS's Lise Fox, PI of the project, "and this leads to the child and family's sense of failure and rejection, and may place the child at risk of developing more serious problem behavior."The Positive Behavior Support Training Series will consist of five, three-hour sessions offering child care providers and administrators a curricula that will better prepare them to meet the needs of these young children. Topics are:

"Our initial focus will be on child care programs that serve children who are from low income families," added Lise, "and each participant should come to the training with a particular child in mind."Participants who attend the complete training will be provided with a $200 stipend, and a certificate for twenty-five hours of in-service training will be issued. For additional information, contact Lise Fox at 974-6100.

CFS Collaborates with USF Department of Pediatrics on Demonstration Project

The Annie E. Casey Foundation and the Children's Board of Hillsborough County have each provided $75,000 for a collaborative effort between CFS and the USF Department of Pediatrics on a one-year demonstration project for engaging urban families to support infants and young children with challenging behavior.

The Families are First Teachers Project will implement a neighborhood-based model of care that supports healthy child development in Luther Village, a subsidized neighborhood childcare center in Tampa. Commonly referred to as "Suitcase City," an this area is challenged by high poverty, low employment opportunities, drug abuse, crime, and a lack of transportation.

"Research has linked risk factors in early childhood with development of challenging behaviors and evidence of poor outcomes when these behaviors are not addressed," said CFS's Kathi Armstrong, Co-PI of the project. "The goal for this project is to help the child and family develop positive interactions, friendships, and learn new communication skills. These skills are clearly linked to school readiness and will help to build a community-based system of care for these very vulnerable children and families."

The initial phase of the project will focus on engagement of the community through outreach, educational efforts and recruiting community support providers. Screening criteria will be established to identify children and families needing services. Community providers and professionals such as teachers, nurses, and speech therapists will be trained in Positive Behavioral Support (PBS). Once the program is in place and the community and professional providers are trained, the implementation phase will then follow.

Families are First Teachers resulted from a series of weekly meetings that began in April 2000 between CFS and USF Pediatrics. Additional collaborators include the director of Luther Village, Hillsborough County Schools, Chiles Center, College of Education at USF, Parent Advocacy Groups, and the Children's Board of Hillsborough County. Ongoing collaboration will be coordinated through the efforts of co-PI's Kathi Armstrong and Pediatric's James Scott. CFS's cultural competence expert Mario Hernandez will provide ongoing consultation to assure that training meets the needs of families from culturally diverse backgrounds. Additional CFS staff include Pam Buschbacher, Chamain Moss, and Jon Worchester. Joan Tucker will work with families and teachers at the school and Tom Massey will help collect data to bring the model to other sites with similar challenges. New staff members Rebecca Sarvo and Tavlo Glover will also be involved. For additional information, contact Kathi Armstrong at 974-8530.

The Department of Child and Family Studies (CFS) is a department of the Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, University of South Florida. The faculty and staff of CFS are committed to enhancing the development, mental health and well-being of children and families through leadership in integrating research, theory & practice.

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