ABSTRACT
Early intervention with infants and toddlers with identified disabilities, developmental delays, and those at risk for poor outcomes due to biological or environmental factors has a rich history. This chapter explains descriptions of three models for conceptualizing early intervention based on compatible bodies of research about how to best practice early intervention. Three models are: developmental systems model, unified theory model, integrated framework model. The chapter describes an implementation sciences framework for differentiating between practices used by parents to promote child learning and development and practices used by practitioners to support and strengthen parenting competence and confidence. It discusses an evidence-based approach to family capacity-building that early intervention practitioners can use to promote parents' use of intervention practices. The chapter describes a set of evidence-based early intervention practices that emphasize parent-mediated child learning opportunities.
