Browsing by Author "Foster, Tricia D."

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Parents’ Part C Experiences in Rural Areas: Alignment With Recommended Practices
(SAGE Publications, 2020-09-04) Decker, Kalli B.; Meldrum, Jacie; Vaterlaus, J. Mitchell; Foster, Tricia D.
The Division for Early Childhood (DEC) clearly outlined recommended practices for the provision of Part C services. However, there may be challenges in rural areas associated with services aligning with these recommended practices. Therefore, this study focuses on how families experience Part C services and the extent to which services align with specific areas the DEC recommended practices in the large, rural state of Montana. We interviewed parents ( N = 30) about their children’s Part C services. Deductive qualitative content analysis was used. Parents’ reports suggest that while some aspects of their Part C services align with specific recommended practices, others do not. There were some meaningful differences regarding alignment with these recommended practices depending on type of provider being described. The environments in which services take place are discussed, as these may influence aspects of collaboration and building family capacity.
“Press On, Continue On”: Rural Parents’ Experiences of Transitions Within Early Intervention
(SAGE Publications, 2022-06) Decker, Kalli B.; Feigel, Alexandra J.; Foster, Tricia D.; Kepl, Rachel L.
Although all families experience a variety of transitions over time, families of children with exceptionalities tend to encounter more transitions during their children’s earliest years. Transitions can be stressful and often include changes as part of early intervention or special education services. It is important to understand these transitions because the support families receive can influence child and family well-being. Therefore, we interviewed parents ( N = 28) across a rural state about their experiences of transition over time. Using thematic analysis, three common themes emerged: (a) change is constant, (b) positive relationships support changing needs and priorities, and (c) parents need more support, information, or access to services or providers. Parents reported relationships and collaboration with providers to be important, yet insufficient, in supporting transitions. Rurality added some challenges to parents’ experiences with transition. Recommendations include empowering families, providing more access and/or removing barriers to services, and building family efficacy through family-focused services.