Skip to main content

Enhancing Early Care Provider’s Capacity for Building Early Relationships with Families and Their Children: Touchpoints-Informed Practice

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Building Early Social and Emotional Relationships with Infants and Toddlers

Abstract

This chapter describes Touchpoints-informed practice (TIP), an intervention model that is delivered through an embedded professional development and reflective practice initiative. Its purpose is twofold: the first component of TIP gives early care professionals in childcare, home visiting, health, and social services the relational strategies to successfully engage with families. The second component of TIP offers a critical understanding of the dynamic, cyclical processes that frame the young child’s developmental growth. Together, these two components give professionals the basic practice skills to work with families on behalf of their children and a view of child behavior that makes meaning of children’s developmental work during the early years. Data on professional developmental and relational knowledge and skills and parent perceptions of their relationship with their child are presented through both descriptive and quasi-experimental studies of Touchpoints. Scale-up of the intervention and associated challenges are discussed with particular attention to work with infants and toddlers.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 149.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 199.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Abidin, R. R. (1995). Manual for the parenting stress index. Odessa, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ahnert, L., Pinquart, M., & Lamb, M. E. (2006). Security of children’s relationships with nonparental care providers: A meta-analysis. Child Development, 77(3), 664–679.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ainsworth, M. S., Blehar, M. C., Waters, E., & Wall, S. (1978). Patterns of attachment: A psychological study of the strange situation. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ayoub, C., Vallotton, C. D., & Mastergeorge, A. M. (2011). Developmental pathways to integrated social skills: The roles of parenting and early intervention. Child Development, 82(2), 583–600.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ayoub, C., Vele-Tabaddor, E., & Muniz, J. (2011). Children’s services Council of Palm Beach County, touchpoints child welfare system training initiative evaluation report. Boston, MA: Brazelton Touchpoints Center.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ayoub, C., Vele-Tabaddor, E., & Von Ende, A. (2010). Touchpoints evaluation. Boston, MA: Brazelton Touchpoints Center.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ayoub, C., Vele-Tabaddor, E., & Von Ende, A. (2015). Evaluation systems building studies. Boston, MA: Brazelton Touchpoints Center.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ayoub, C., Vele-Tabaddor, E., Von Ende, A., & Regalbuto, E. (2016). Educare learning network – Touchpoints professional development evaluation report. Chicago, IL: Ounce of Prevention Fund.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ayoub, C., Vele-Tabaddor, E., Von Ende, A., Regalbuto, E., & Kole, J. (2017). Family engagement in Educare and the benefits of touchpoints-informed practice, 2009–2016 evaluation report. Boston, MA: Brazelton Touchpoints Center.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beardslee, W. R., Ayoub, C., Avery, M. W., Watts, C. L., & O’Carroll, K. L. (2010). Family connections: An approach for strengthening early care systems in facing depression and adversity. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 80(4), 482–495.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Berk, L. E. (2005). Infants, children, and adolescents (5th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brandt, K. (2013). Brazelton, T. B. A lifetime of contributions from a giant in our field. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing, 26(3), 186–192. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcap.12044

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Brazelton, T. B. (1992). Touchpoints: The essential reference. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brazelton, T. B. (1994). Touchpoints: Opportunities for preventing problems in the parent-child relationship. Acta Paediatrica, 83(s394), 35–39.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bryk, A. S., & Schneider, B. (2003). Trust in schools: A core resource for school reform. Educational Leadership, 60(6), 40–45.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chazan-Cohen, R., Raikes, H., Brooks-Gunn, J., Ayoub, C., Pan, B., Kisker, E., … Fuligni, A. (2009). Low-income children’s school readiness: Parent contributions over the first five years. Early Education and Development, 20, 958–977.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dawson, G., Ashman, S. B., & Carver, L. J. (2000). The role of early experience in shaping behavioral and brain development and its implications for social policy. Development and Psychopathology, 12(4), 695–712.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dearing, E., McCartney, K., Weiss, H. B., Kreider, H., & Simpkins, S. (2004). The promotive effects of family educational involvement for low-income children’s literacy. Journal of School Psychology, 42(6), 445–460.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Desimone, L. M. (2011). A primer on effective professional development. Phi delta kappan, 92(6), 68–71.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dunst, C. J., Bruder, M. B., Trivette, C. M., & Hamby, D. W. (2006). Everyday activity settings, natural learning environments, and early intervention practices. Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities, 3(1), 3–10.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Elicker, J., Noppe, I. C., Noppe, L. D., & Fortner-Wood, C. (1997). The parent–caregiver relationship scale: Rounding out the relationship system in infant child care. Early Education and Development, 8(1), 83–100.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fantuzzo, J., McWayne, C., Perry, M. A., & Childs, S. (2004). Multiple dimensions of family involvement and their relations to behavioral and learning competencies for urban, low-income children. School Psychology Review, 33(4), 467–480.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gilkerson Tina, L., & Ritzler, T. T. (2005). The role of reflective process in infusing relationship-based practice into an early intervention system. In The handbook of training and practice in infant and preschool mental health (pp. 427–452). San Francisco, NC: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Howes, C., & Spieker, S. (2008). Attachment relationships in the context of multiple caregivers. In J. Cassidy & P. R. Shaver (Eds.), Handbook of attachment: Theory, research, and clinical applications (pp. 317–332). New York, NY, US: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jacobs, F., Swartz, M. I., Bartlett, J. D., & Easterbrooks, M. A. (2010). Placing relationships at the core of early care and education programs. In Nurturing children and families: Building on the legacy of T. Berry Brazelton (pp. 341–352). Malden, MA.: Blackwell.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Joyce, B. R., & Showers, B. (2002). Student achievement through staff development (3rd ed.). Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development (ASCD).

    Google Scholar 

  • Klaus, M. H., & Kennell, J. H. (1982). Parent-infant bonding. St. Louis, MO: CV Mosby.

    Google Scholar 

  • Klebanov, M. S., & Travis, A. D. (2014). The critical role of parenting in human development. New York, NY: Routledge.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Kretlow, A. G., & Bartholomew, C. C. (2010). Using coaching to improve the fidelity of evidence-based practices: A review of studies. Teacher Education and Special Education, 33(4), 279–299.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCartney, K. (2007). Current research on child care effects. In: R. E. Tremblay, M. Boivin, & R. DeV. Peters (Eds). Bennett J, topic ed. Encyclopedia on early childhood development [online]. http://www.child-encyclopedia.com/child-care-early-childhood-education-and-care/according-experts/current-research-child-care-effects. Accessed 2 Nov 2017.

  • McWayne, C., Hampton, V., Fantuzzo, J., Cohen, H. L., & Sekino, Y. (2004). A multivariate examination of parent involvement and the social and academic competencies of urban kindergarten children. Psychology in the Schools, 41(3), 363–377.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Raikes, H. (1993). Relationship duration in infant care: Time with a high-ability teacher and infant-teacher attachment. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 8(3), 309–325.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rimm-Kaufman, S. E., & Pianta, R. C. (2005). Family-school communication in preschool and kindergarten in the context of a relationship-enhancing intervention. Early Education and Development, 16(3), 287–316.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Singer, J., & Hornstein, J. (2010). The touchpoints approach for early childhood care and education providers. In Nurturing children and families: Building on the legacy of T. Berry Brazelton (pp. 288–299). New York, NY: Wiley-Blackwell.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Sjuts, T. M., Clarke, B. L., Sheridan, S. M., Rispoli, K. M., & Ransom, K. A. (2012). Beyond activities: Engaging families in preschoolers’ language and literacy development. CYFS Working Paper No. 2012–7. Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families and Schools.

    Google Scholar 

  • Swartz, M., Bartlett, J., Jacobs, F., Singer, J., Vele-Tabaddor, E., Ayoub, C., … Easterbrooks, A. (under review). The impact of brazelton touchpoints early care and education professional development on parents’ perceptions of their relationships with their young children. Boston, MA: Eliot-Pearson Department of Child Development, Tufts University and Brazelton Touchpoints Center.

    Google Scholar 

  • Swartz, M. I., Coskun, L., Leutz, E., & Beals, L. (2011). Findings from an infant mental health training evaluation: Promising evidence of effectiveness of reflective practices. Poster presented at the ZERO TO THREE National Training Institute, Washington, D.C.

    Google Scholar 

  • Swartz, M. I., & Easterbrooks, M. (2008). Enhancing parent-provider relationships and communication in infant and toddler classrooms. Journal of Early Childhood and Infant Psychology, 4, 53.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weiss, H., Caspe, M., Lopez, M. E., Harvard Family Research Project, Schools, M., & Dauber, S. L. (2006). Family involvement in early childhood education. Harvard Family Research Project: Series on Family Involvement, 91(1), 1–8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zero to Three. (2004). Pathways to prevention: A comprehensive guide for supporting infant and toddler mental health. Washington, DC: Zero to Three.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Catherine Ayoub .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Ayoub, C., Vele-Tabaddor, E. (2018). Enhancing Early Care Provider’s Capacity for Building Early Relationships with Families and Their Children: Touchpoints-Informed Practice. In: Morris, A., Williamson, A. (eds) Building Early Social and Emotional Relationships with Infants and Toddlers. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-03110-7_11

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics