TY - JOUR
T1 - How Can We Better Serve Children with Disabilities? Public Library Accessibility Recommendations from Early Intervention Coordinators
AU - Daskalakes, Derek T.M.
AU - Stormont, Melissa
AU - Adkins, Denice
AU - Gooden, Caroline
AU - Long, Bobbie Sartin
AU - Russell, Carol
AU - Cahill, Maria
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Author(s). Published with license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
PY - 2024
Y1 - 2024
N2 - Service coordinators (SCs) play a vital role in assisting families in accessing and navigating the system of Early Intervention services that provide vital support to young children with disabilities and/or developmental delays (YCwD/DD). The study reports findings of focus group interviews with 14 SCs in three states in the United States that were subsequently coded and analyzed using a thematic analysis framework. SCs identified many ways that libraries support YCwD/DD through provisions of materials, services, spaces, and collaborative partnerships with community agencies. However, they pointed to additional measures libraries could take to better serve YCwD/DD and their families. Libraries might consider implementing changes to aspects of their policies and collaborative relationships in order to improve their responsiveness to the needs of YCwD/DD and their families.
AB - Service coordinators (SCs) play a vital role in assisting families in accessing and navigating the system of Early Intervention services that provide vital support to young children with disabilities and/or developmental delays (YCwD/DD). The study reports findings of focus group interviews with 14 SCs in three states in the United States that were subsequently coded and analyzed using a thematic analysis framework. SCs identified many ways that libraries support YCwD/DD through provisions of materials, services, spaces, and collaborative partnerships with community agencies. However, they pointed to additional measures libraries could take to better serve YCwD/DD and their families. Libraries might consider implementing changes to aspects of their policies and collaborative relationships in order to improve their responsiveness to the needs of YCwD/DD and their families.
KW - Libraries
KW - children
KW - disabilities
KW - early intervention
KW - public libraries
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U2 - 10.1080/01616846.2023.2267961
DO - 10.1080/01616846.2023.2267961
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85173954683
SN - 0161-6846
VL - 43
SP - 402
EP - 433
JO - Public Library Quarterly
JF - Public Library Quarterly
IS - 3
ER -