# Measure of Engagement, Independence, and Social Relationships

Assess infant and toddler levels of engagement, independence, and social relationships within the context of common family routines.

## 1 What is the MEISR?

## 2 MEISR components

## 3 How it works

## 4 Using MEISR results

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# What is the MEISR?

The MEISR is an easy-to-use, parent-completed tool for developing a snapshot of the functional behaviors of children up to 3 years in age.

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## Developers

**R. A. McWilliam, Ph.D.**

- Originator of the Routines‐Based Model
- Professor of special education at The University of Alabama, where he founded and directs the Evidence‐based International Early Intervention Office (EIEIO)
- Founder and leader of the RAM Group, an international community of practice fostering the Routines‐Based Model
- Part C/Comprehensive System of Personnel Development (CSPD) Coordinator for the Department of Defense Army Educational and Developmental Intervention Services (EDIS) Early Intervention Programs
- Independent consultant focusing on early intervention and preschool processes and best practices

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# Purposes for the MEISR

### To help families, as members of intervention teams, assess a child’s participation in everyday situations, which in turn might inform intervention priorities.

### To help professionals ask families relevant questions about child functioning in home routines, such as when conducting a routines-based interview.

### To monitor a child’s progress at 6-month intervals.

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# MEISR components

The MEISR Set includes the MEISR Manual and one pack of MEISR Forms (5 per package).

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# How it works

### The MEISR examines a child's functioning within 14 everyday routines. Each routine has 14–47 items, totaling 386 individual items.

## Routines assessed

- Waking Up
- Play With Others
- Toileting/Diapering
- Meal Times
- Nap Time
- Dressing Time
- Bedtime
- Going Out
- Grocery Shopping
- Transition Time
- Play by Him- or Herself

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### MEISR items are helpfully crosswalked with…

- the functional outcomes of engagement, independence, and social relationships
- the five developmental domains required on IFSPs
- the three federal child outcomes

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### With the guidance of an early intervention professional, parents or caregivers complete the MEISR in just 45 minutes.

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# Completing the MEISR

### Items in each routine are marked with a score of 1, 2, or 3:

- 1: the child does not yet do this
- 2: the child does this sometimes
- 3: the child does this often or has progressed beyond this

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### Basic scoring can be done by the caregiver or the caregiver and the professional together.

## Scores are calculated at the end of each routine and then transferred to the MEISR Scoring Summary sheet.

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# Using MEISR results

With the results of the MEISR, you can:

- Start important conversations with families about their child's participation in everyday activities
- Support child engagement—an important prerequisite to learning
- Empower families to enhance natural learning opportunities
- Help families choose functional skills to address within the IFSP
- Help your team determine Child Outcome Summary (COS) ratings
- Develop individualized intervention priorities

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### For more information about how to use the MEISR during the IFSP process, view this tip sheet at [http://bit.ly/meisr-ifsp](http://bit.ly/meisr-ifsp).