TRANSITIONS OF THE CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES FROM THE EARLY INTERVENTION SERVICES IN THE REGULAR SCHOOLS

Abstract

Early childhood intervention takes into consideration all high risk born children or children with disabilities and their families, from birth to a certain age (the age varies in different countries).
Transitions can be defined as “moments of service change and change in the staff that coordinates and provides the services”. The transitional process should provide service continuum, decrease of the family disturbances, preparation of the child for program accommodations, and there should also be a certain law foundation.
The subject of our research was to make an analyses of the models of early intervention in Massachusetts and Bavaria as models that offer best practices in this area. The purpose of the research was to note the paths of achieving successful transitions in children that are part of the services for early intervention as well as to define strategies that contain the essential elements of success.
The conclusions from the research lead to the following elements (as an integral part of the strategies for successful transitions): cooperation between professionals; exchange of information; family support; child preparation; staff training; net coordination between the early intervention centers and the inclusive schools.