Measure of Engagement, Independence, and Social Relationships

Assess infant and toddler levels of engagement, independence, and social relationships within the context of common family routines.

1 What is the MEISR?

2 MEISR components

3 How it works

4 Using MEISR results

What is the MEISR?

The MEISR is an easy-to-use, parent-completed tool for developing a snapshot of the functional behaviors of children up to 3 years in age.

Developers

R. A. McWilliam, Ph.D.

• Originator of the Routines‐Based Model
• Professor of special education at The University of Alabama, where he founded and directs the Evidence‐based International Early Intervention Office (EIEIO)
• Founder and leader of the RAM Group, an international community of practice fostering the Routines‐Based Model
• Part C/Comprehensive System of Personnel Development (CSPD) Coordinator for the Department of Defense Army Educational and Developmental Intervention Services (EDIS) Early Intervention Programs
• Independent consultant focusing on early intervention and preschool processes and best practices

Purposes for the MEISR

To help families, as members of intervention teams, assess a child’s participation in everyday situations, which in turn might inform intervention priorities.

To help professionals ask families relevant questions about child functioning in home routines, such as when conducting a routines-based interview.

To monitor a child’s progress at 6-month intervals.

MEISR components

The MEISR Set includes the MEISR Manual and one pack of MEISR Forms (5 per package).

How it works

The MEISR examines a child's functioning within 14 everyday routines. Each routine has 14–47 items, totaling 386 individual items.

Routines assessed

• Waking Up
• Play With Others
• Toileting/Diapering
• Meal Times
• Nap Time
• Dressing Time
• Bedtime
• Going Out
• Grocery Shopping
• Transition Time
• Play by Him- or Herself

MEISR items are helpfully crosswalked with…

• the functional outcomes of engagement, independence, and social relationships
• the five developmental domains required on IFSPs
• the three federal child outcomes

With the guidance of an early intervention professional, parents or caregivers complete the MEISR in just 45 minutes.

Completing the MEISR

Items in each routine are marked with a score of 1, 2, or 3:

• 1: the child does not yet do this
• 2: the child does this sometimes
• 3: the child does this often or has progressed beyond this

Basic scoring can be done by the caregiver or the caregiver and the professional together.

Scores are calculated at the end of each routine and then transferred to the MEISR Scoring Summary sheet.

Using MEISR results

With the results of the MEISR, you can:

• Start important conversations with families about their child's participation in everyday activities
• Support child engagement—an important prerequisite to learning
• Empower families to enhance natural learning opportunities
• Help families choose functional skills to address within the IFSP
• Help your team determine Child Outcome Summary (COS) ratings
• Develop individualized intervention priorities

For more information about how to use the MEISR during the IFSP process, view this tip sheet at http://bit.ly/meisr-ifsp.