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as their insight into other programmes (consulting
research and literature concerning early childhood
education). The model follows a step-by-step ap-
proach, which consists of the following activities:
1. Establishment of a home-based model with de-
veloped methodology protocols and referral at the
earliest possible time following birth.
2. The model is strength and resource based, enhanc-
es competence and positive functioning, and deci-
sions are made together with family – not for them.
3. All services are well coordinated and integrated
among various disciplines and sectors.
4. The model provides services for children in a nat-
ural environment – that is, settings in which the child
would participate if he or she did not have a disability,
such as the home and kindergarten – to the maximum
extent.
5. The model has embedded natural learning op-
portunities and intervention strategies into the daily
activities.
6. There is a strong focus on parents as the primary
implementers of intervention within family routines.
Families are empowered as agents of change in
promoting their child’s development and meaningful
participation.
7. There are support and experience groups whereby
parents come with their children to the Mali Dom
centre to build their competences and where they
can meet with a range of professionals. Here they
can experience a variety of activities, games, and play
that later will be embedded in their everyday routine
in order to achieve set short- and long-term goals in a
nonintrusive, play-oriented way.
8. To ensure quality of service and especially the in-
teraction between team members involved in working
with a specific child, the organization has designed a
software application that ensures that all communica-
tions, goals, reports, and protocols are recorded.
9. All children referred to the centre start with a
transdisciplinary assessment, which helps to better
understand the child’s strengths and needs and how
early intervention can help. Following the assessment,
the team discusses with the family their priorities and
concerns, and together they outline the next steps
and answer specific questions that the family may
have.
10. This is followed by an initial conversation with a
social worker and psychologist. In the subsequent
debriefing process the team moves to identify and
support the primary therapist who will be working
with the family. During the first home visit, the
team explains what the parents can expect from
home-based service in order to alleviate possible
anxieties.
11. After six weeks, the primary therapist develops
the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP), based
on assessment information and family priorities.
It includes outcomes for the child and family, and
describes the learning methods and approaches that
will be used. It also explains what kind of services
they will receive, who will provide them, as well as
where, when, and how often.
Evaluation every three to six months
At this point the IFSP is implemented, and the evalua-
tion of defined goals is performed three to six months
thereafter. –At that time old outcomes that have been
reached or that are no longer relevant are discarded,
and new learning strategies and activities to help
meet new outcomes are initiated, as are any neces-
sary changes in the type of service provided.
Session with the therapy dog
After six weeks, the primary therapist
develops the Individualized Family
Service Plan (IFSP), based on
assessments and family priorities