Universal screening to promote early identification of developmental delays: exploring childcare providers’ beliefs and practices

ABSTRACT

Despite the availability of tools for conducting universal developmental screening, only a fraction of children who could benefit from early intervention services are actually identified before reaching school age. Childcare providers are in a unique position to enhance early identification efforts. A web-based survey was distributed to all licensed childcare providers (centre- and family-based) throughout one Midwestern state to learn about their beliefs and practices associated with universal screening. Preliminary results, based on 1565 responses, indicate that only 16.3% of licensed childcares are conducting developmental screening. However, 54% reported believing it to be part of their role. In addition to this discrepancy, beliefs about their role in developmental screening were also related to other practices that are associated with early identification efforts. Implications and suggestions for practice and policy changes related to early, universal developmental screening in childcare are discussed relative to existing belief systems and professional development needs.

KEYWORDS:

• Early identification
• universal screening
• developmental screening
• childcare

Acknowledgements

Given the institutional collaboration, we wish to acknowledge the support and effort provided by Dr. Joe Reichle (LEND), Ms. Katy Schalla-Lesiak (MDH), and Dr. Robert delMas (University of Minnesota) who were essential to this study. The content and conclusions are those of the authors and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by MDH, MCHB, HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Andrea Boh, M.S., CCC-SLP is a doctoral student at the University of Minnesota in the Department of Educational Psychology with a focus on early childhood special education. Her current research interests include early identification and screening, as well as communication interventions for young children with autism and developmental delays.

LeAnne Johnson, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor and Director of the Early Childhood Special Education Program at the University of Minnesota. Her research focuses on enhancing the adoption and implementation of practices that address the social, emotional, and behavioral needs young children.

ORCID

Andrea Boh http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0213-526X

LeAnne Johnson http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0597-638X

Additional information

Funding

This project was made possible by a partnership between the University of Minnesota's Leadership in Education and Neurodevelopmental Disorders (LEND) program, funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [grant number #T73MC12835-03-00], and the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), with funding from the Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems (ECCS) Grant awarded to MDH from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) [grant number H25MC00276].