Infant & Toddler

Connection of Virginia

April 2025



PART C UPDATES

Test your Knowledge with our Poll Feature

Pick your answer and scroll below to find the correct answer and explanation!

2025 Family Survey Schedule

• Wave 1 begins mailing (those without email addresses). Families with email addresses will be sent an email invitation. - 3/24-4/4
• Wave 2 begins mailing (all non-responding families) - 4/21-5/2
• Calls begin to localities with less than 15 completes - 5/12-5/30

(Multiple email reminders will also be sent after wave 1 and before data collection is cut off).

The following study examined perceptions of early intervention (EI) program managers about EI student field placements, needs and expectations for accepting students into placements, and partnerships between their programs and institutions of higher education.

SUCCESSFUL STUDENT FIELD PLACEMENTS IN EI

This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in the Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education on March 11, 2025, available at https://doi.org/10.1080/10901027.2025.2475941 Successful Student Field Placements in Early Intervention: Guidance from EI Program Managers

Dana C. Childress

Department of Human Movement Studies and Special Education, Old Dominion University

Christine M. Spence

Department of Counseling and Special Education, Virginia Commonwealth University

Corinne F. Hill

Partnership for People with Disabilities, Virginia Commonwealth University

Serra De Arment

Department of Counseling and Special Education, Virginia Commonwealth University

Author Note We have no conflicts of interest to disclose. Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Dana Childress, Old Dominion University, Lions Club Child Study Center, 4501 Hampton Blvd, Norfolk, VA 23529. Email: dchildre@odu.edu 

SUPPORTING POSITIVE SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL SKILLS

A Resource From FIPP

The HUGS Response Plan is a guide for early childhood practitioners who support families, caregivers and teachers. The HUGS Response Plan guides early childhood practitioners through the process of using a coaching interaction style to help caregivers diffuse challenging behaviors exhibited by young children and promote positive social-emotional interactions during everyday home, school, and community activities and routines.

HUGS Responce Plan Manual

The HUGS Joint Plan worksheet

Guide to HUGS Responsive Caregiver Strategies worksheet

The HUGS Responsive Caregiver Strategies booklet

The Early Intervention Leadership Team Guide provides leadership teams with the resources, forms, and ideas to guide program-wide implementation of the Pyramid Model within early intervention services. Each section of the guide aligns to a critical element of the Pyramid Model Early Intervention (Part C) Benchmarks of Quality. The guide is ideally used by leadership teams in their initial training and monthly during leadership team meetings where they review and update their implementation action plans.



PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

A GEM YOU MIGHT HAVE FORGOTTEN?

WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED?

WHAT'S COMING

UP NEXT?

Transition Quick Reference Guide - ‘Tis the season for Transition! Be sure you have this updated Quick Reference Guide accessible! Share with colleagues who may be new to supporting families through the transition process.

Did you miss the last live Talks on Tuesday webinar? If so, be sure to check out the recording for Improving Feeding and Mealtime for Infants and Toddlers with Feeding Challenges: Parent-Led Interventions on our Talks on Tuesdays page.

Are you receiving announcements from VEIPD? If not, you should be! We have an exciting new video series launching and you do not want to miss it!

Sign up for our

communications here or follow us on social media.

RESOURCES FOR FAMILIES

DHH Center for Family Involvement is welcoming author Katie Petruzziello on Tuesday, April 8 at 7:00pm to read Mighty Mila and share her family's experience raising two DHH children. The first 50 registrants will receive a complimentary copy of Mighty Mila! 

DHH Family Engagement Event: Virtual Author Visit with Katie Petruzziello

You are your child’s first and most important teacher and you help set a strong foundation for lifelong learning and success! In this 5-week online program, families of children with disabilities learn about supporting their child’s early learning and development and preparing them for kindergarten and beyond.

Learn about:

• Parents as first teachers
• Importance of inclusive early education
• Developmental milestones
• Supporting language development and encouraging positive behaviors
• Benefits of Assistive Technology
• Preparing children with disabilities for school
• Early intervention and early childhood special education services



The course begins April 25, 2025 and will be open through May 30, 2025.

Register here

The training will take approximately 7 hours and can be accessed anytime during the 5 week timeframe.

This free program is designed for busy families! Sessions open weekly and are available to view day or night. Participants who complete all sessions receive a certificate of completion.

“Early childhood is a critical time of developmental growth; early learning helps our children develop the skills necessary to be successful in school and life.”

Presented by PEATC in collaboration with the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE).

POLL ANSWER AND EXPLANATION

The correct answer is “e” – all of the above.

Although service coordinators are responsible for providing rights and procedural safeguard documents to families and explaining them, everyone involved in each step of the EI process should be knowledgeable about related rights and safeguards.

To learn more about Parental Rights and Procedural Safeguards: Review:

• 3028-Notice-Child-Family-Rights-ENGLISH-2024-01.pdf
• Strengthening Partnerships Booklet
• The Procedural Safeguards Chart
• Visit the Dispute Resolution Section of our Website - Dispute Resolution - ITCVA

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

The Employment Opportunities page on the ITCVA website receives nearly 5,000 visits each year!

Practitioners: Early intervention needs you! Influence the future of infants and toddlers with developmental delays or disabilities and their families by putting your skills and expertise to work today! Please visit the Employment Opportunities page on the ITCVA website for links to current job openings.

LSMs and local contracted agencies: Let us help connect you to qualified applicants! Are you a Local System Manager (LSM) or the director of an agency that contracts with one or more local early intervention systems in Virginia? Are you looking to find qualified applicants to fill vacant positions? Please visit our Employment Opportunities page for instructions on how to submit a job posting.



ITCVA DIRECT ACCESS

EARLY INTERVENTION CERTIFICATION



For questions about intial certification of practitioners, contact Anne Brager- 804-664-2462.

For questions about re-certification of practitioners, contact David Mills • 804-317-7776

For questions related to completing the online application, contact VATRACITsupport@ssg-llc.com or from 8AM-5PM ET by calling 804-508-7229.

Infant & Toddler Connection of Virginia is part of the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services

https://www.itcva.online/itcva-staff-1

1220 Bank Street, 9th Floor, P.O. Box 1797, Richmond, Virginia 23219-1797

Main Office: (804) 786-3710 • Main Fax: (804) 371-7959

Do you have colleagues who aren’t getting the Monthly Part C Update? Ask them to check their spam folder. If they're still not receiving it, have them email anne.brager@dbhds.virginia.gov.

DMAS RESOURCES