This interactive session will provide an opportunity for families and practitioners to discuss ideas, tools, and strategies supporting the inclusion of young children across settings. Family leaders will share their stories about family partnership and leadership initiatives that supported them in learning about early intervention and early childhood special education programs, advocating for high quality inclusion practices, and providing leadership and support for other families across systems.

For inclusion to work, early intervention/early childhood special education
specialists
need to work collaboratively with caregivers (parents, teachers, etc.) to find
strategies to help children function in their everyday routines. Collaborative
consultation, sometimes known as coaching, requires the specialist’s obtaining
context before suggesting a strategy. This process stands in contrast to an expert
approach, where the specialist makes recommendations with inadequate context.

Frequent, universal screenings in pediatric primary care are critical for identifying whether children are meeting key developmental milestones. Early and consistent screenings play a vital role in detecting potential developmental delays, behavioral concerns, and social-emotional challenges—issues that, if left unaddressed, can significantly impact a child’s long-term health and well-being. Beyond flagging potential concerns, these screenings reveal referral needs, ensuring families gain access to essential services and interventions. HealthySteps (HS) is an evidence-based program that strengthens pediatric care by embedding an early childhood specialist and behavioral health promotion/prevention expert into the primary care team, specifically serving families with children from birth to age three. HS Specialists collaborate with the primary care team and caregivers to promote healthy child development. In addition to providing positive parenting guidance, they support early identification and care coordination and systems navigation--ensuring families receive timely, effective connections to critical resources. This session will offer an in-depth overview of the HealthySteps approach, highlighting best practices for linking families to services, and strategies for equipping families to navigate the complexities of accessing care. Participants will be encouraged to engage throughout the session by asking questions and sharing their experiences