Effect of Caregiver Education Materials on Faculty Preparedness and Confidence

Abstract

A child’s primary occupation is play. Participation in play is crucial for skill development, including fine motor, gross motor, communication, cognition, attention, and social skills. These skills can aid the child through role transitions, such as the role of a student, where they can support classroom participation and success. In a preschool located in the south-central part of Marion County, faculty identified that out of 157 Burmese students enrolled in 2021, 40 were diagnosed with either Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or developmental delay with characteristics of ASD (S. Keller, personal communication). During the needs assessment process of the doctoral capstone, decreased preparedness, lack of time, and lack of resources were identified by faculty as barriers to addressing developmental delays with refugee learners’ caregivers. Research supports the use of caregiver education, community programming, and communication between teachers and caregivers to improve executive function, play skills, and learning in students. The purpose of the capstone project was to increase faculty preparedness and confidence in discussing developmental delays and at-home skill development with caregivers. The doctoral capstone student wrote and visually recorded materials that faculty can provide to caregivers; materials were translated into languages frequently used in the township to improve accessibility. The program evaluation post-survey supported the use of these materials, as faculty reported increased satisfaction with the resources available to them and increased preparedness to discuss developmental delays with caregivers.