Several colleagues within the UNC Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute (FPG) are collaborating on a new series of resources designed for early interventionists working with caregivers (e.g., parents, child care providers) of toddlers. Researchers from the Autism Focused Intervention Resources & Modules: AFIRM project and technical assistance specialists from the Early Childhood Technical Assistance (ECTA) Center partnered to produce the AFIRM for Toddler Modules, of which there are currently four.

The first of the AFIRM for Toddlers Modules―Parent-Implemented Intervention in the Home Setting―involves coaching parents or family members in how to deliver an intervention to their toddler within daily routines that promotes the toddler’s target skills/behaviors. In early intervention, parent-implemented intervention (PII) is often combined with naturalistic intervention strategies, which is how it is presented in this module. PII is effective with toddlers because the interventions are implemented within the toddler’s natural environment and routines by a trusted parent or family member so that target skills/behaviors are more easily generalized. PII can be used to increase target skills/behaviors of toddlers in the domains of adaptive, cognitive, communication, motor, play and social. It has also shown effectiveness in reducing interfering behaviors.

This module guides the early intervention provider through four lessons to facilitate:

• reviewing basic knowledge about parent-implemented intervention for toddlers
• planning with and coaching parents to use and monitor progress of parent-implemented interventions

The second AFIRM for Toddlers Module―Naturalistic Intervention for Toddlers in the Childcare Setting―centers around the evidence-based practice (EBP) of naturalistic intervention (NI), which consists of a collection of techniques and strategies that are embedded in typical activities and/or routines in which the toddler participates to naturally promote, support, and encourage target skills/behaviors. NI is commonly implemented by caregivers coached by an early intervention provider, which is how NI is presented in this module as it guides the early intervention provider through four lessons to facilitate:

• reviewing basic knowledge about naturalistic intervention for toddlers.
• planning with and coaching caregivers to use and monitor progress of naturalistic intervention

The third AFIRM for Toddlers Module―Reinforcement for Toddlers―focuses on reinforcement, which is when caregivers promote the toddler’s target skills/behaviors by providing an arranged consequence that occurs immediately after the toddler displays the target skill/behavior. It usually focuses on increasing the target skill/behavior. In such cases, the consequences should be natural and developmentally appropriate for toddlers (e.g., favorite object, sensory play, preferred food).

In this module, early intervention providers are presented with four lessons to facilitate:

• reviewing basic knowledge about reinforcement for toddlers
• planning with and coaching caregivers to use and monitor progress of reinforcement

The fourth AFIRM for Toddlers Module—Visual Supports for Toddlers—is a set of evidence-based practices (EBPs) that use images, pictures or objects that cue the toddler to engage in a desired skill or behavior. They provide the toddler with meaningful information about an activity, routine, behavioral expectation, or skill. Visual Supports are effective with toddlers because they can be used to promote everyday routines and activities within the toddler’s natural environment. Visual Supports can be used to increase target skills or behaviors of toddlers in the domains of academic, adaptive, behavior, cognitive, communication, joint attention, motor, play, school readiness, and social.

This module guides the early intervention provider through four lessons to facilitate:

• reviewing basic knowledge about visual supports for toddlers
• planning with and coaching caregivers to use and monitor progress of visual supports

Visit the AFIRM website for access to these and other modules.