Consultation in Early Childhood Settings

Authors: Virginia Buysse, Ph.D., Patricia Wesley

This practical handbook equips you with the skills you need to function as an effective consultant to educators and caregivers of children from birth through age 5, leading you step by step through an easy 8-stage model.

8-Stage Model

Initiate contact with the consultee and establish open, respectful communication.
Build rapport while gathering crucial information about the consultee.
Work with the consultee to assess concerns and needs.
Set goals directly related to these concerns and needs.
Select appropriate strategies for meeting the goals.
Prepare the consultee to implement the strategies.
Evaluate the effectiveness of the strategies and the consultation itself.
Hold a summary conference to review outcomes and plan next steps.

For each stage, you’ll get a description of key consultation tasks, critical considerations for consultant and consultee, strategies for improving communication, and a “What If” section that addresses potential problems and solutions. This guide will help any early childhood professional serving as a consultant—and anyone in the role of consultee—form strong, respectful partnerships that lead to better child and family outcomes.

Reviews

Steve Knotek, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill - June 8, 2006
"Superb. . . . Consultation has never been presented more effectively for the early childhood professional."

Ann Schulte, North Carolina State University - June 8, 2006
"Highly readable . . . a valuable resource for early childhood professionals who want to increase their impact through effective partnerships with others."

Susan Klein, Indiana University, Bloomington - June 8, 2006
"This book gathers the best of what we know about effective collaboration and consultation. This comprehensive and highly motivating book will clearly become a key resource for early childhood and early intervention professionals in their quest to develop the most effective ways to communicate and interact with each other."

William McInerney, University of Toledo - June 8, 2006
"The book should provoke an examination of the practices of the current generation of professionals and spur consideration of a new paradigm in early childhood education and special education personnel preparation."

Pamela Winton, Senior Scientist and Director of Outreach, Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, University of North Carolina - April 27, 2006
"Integrates a wealth of information about consultation in ways that are practical and applicable in a variety of early childhood settings. I predict this book will become the 'consultation bible' in the decade to come."

Laurie Dinnebeil, Professor and Judith Daso Herb Endowed Chair in Early Childhood Education, University of Toledo - April 27, 2006
"Those involved in personnel preparation will find this book essential to coursework designed to prepare individuals to serve as consultants. Early childhood consultants will find this book an indispensable resource. I can't wait to add this book to my professional library!"

Authors: Virginia Buysse Ph.D., Patricia W. Wesley
Foreword Author: Samuel L. Odom Ph.D.