Leveraging Collaboration to Create Action Plans and Realize Participation Goals in Early Childhood!

This training workshop will provide instruction, strategies, and resources to implement a model for participation-based-therapy using the Collaborative Process for Action Plans to Achieve Children’s Participation Goals (Palisano et al., 2012; Palisano et al., 2022). The five phase model (establish a collaborative relationship determine a mutually agreed upon goal; assess child, family and environmental strengths and what needs to occur to achieve the goal; develop and implement the action plan; evaluate processes and outcomes) is based on the premise that achievement of goals for home, school, and community participation is optimized through a collaborative process in which information is shared, solutions to challenges are identified, and action plans are implemented that build on strengths of the child, family, and environment. Adaptations of The Collaborative Process for Action Plans will be highlighted with examples of innovations for children with multiple disabilities in the preschool setting and for inclusion of siblings of children with disabilities in this therapy approach in the family context. Presenters will discuss perspectives of the physical therapist, occupational therapist, teacher, family and other team members in the usability, feasibility, and acceptability of participation-based therapy and the Collaborative Process for Action Plans. Facilitators and barriers to implementation will be discussed. Participants will have the opportunity to develop strategies for use in their own practice setting including outpatient, early intervention, home care, and school-based services.