# Self-Assessment: How Are You Supporting Caregiver Learning during Balanced Intervention Visits?

Instructions: Read each item and check the box that most closely resembles how often you implement the practice in your work. Be honest with yourself and add notes about your answers as needed. Discuss your insights and your plan for improvement with your team or a colleague. Add a reminder on your mobile device or calendar to repeat this self-assessment in a month to see how you’ve grown. For additional information about balanced intervention, adult learning, and early intervention, see Pause and Reflect: Your Guide to a Deeper Understanding of Early Intervention Practice (2021).

Name: _________________________________  
Date: __________________________

|  |  | Never | Sometimes | Most of the time | Always | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Supporting Caregiver and Child Learning within the Early Intervention Triad |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| 1. | I focus my energy on facilitating learning for both caregivers and children during each visit. |  |  |  |  |  |
| 2. | I share my expertise during visits in ways that facilitate the caregiver's active involvement and engagement with the child (rather than expecting the caregiver to primarily observe me and know what to do). |  |  |  |  |  |
| 3. | I value the caregiver's expertise and try to learn from and with the caregiver about the child's skills and daily activities. |  |  |  |  |  |
| 4. | I reflect on my practices after most visits to consider how my work matches or does not match the Mission of Early Intervention. |  |  |  |  |  |
| Using Adult Learning Principles |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| 5. | I relate intervention to what is immediately relevant and useful to the family. |  |  |  |  |  |
| 6. | I ask questions to explore what the caregiver already knows or has already tried before discussing strategies or intervention activities. |  |  |  |  |  |
| 7. | I help the caregiver understand how and why to use intervention strategies/activities with the child. |  |  |  |  |  |

| 8. | The caregiver practices using strategies with his/her child during the visit while I observe. |  |  |  |  |  |
| 9. | I collaborate with the caregiver to identify ways the child can learn or practice skills in the context of family interactions and activities, using materials found in the home. |  |  |  |  |  |
| 10. | I use open-ended questions to help the caregiver reflect on his/her experience using strategies with the child during the visit. |  |  |  |  |  |
| 11. | I provide specific feedback to the caregiver about his/her use of intervention strategies and the child’s skills. |  |  |  |  |  |
| 12. | I plan with the caregiver for how he/she will encourage the child’s learning between visits and what we will do during our next visit. Note your strengths and challenges related to supporting caregiver learning. Be as specific as possible. My strengths: My challenges: My plan for improvement: |  |  |  |  |  |  |