Identification of children with developmental delays/ disabilities in preschools

Abstract

Research shows that developmental disabilities and specific developmental problems in children remain undetected by parents, teachers and professional associates. Our goal was to establish the method of identification of children with developmental delays/ disabilities in the existing procedure of a preschool and the system / procedure of ongoing support. In the existing procedure of preschool institutions there is no procedure for dealing with parents’ concerns; 77.4 % of the teachers claim that they notice children who are in some way different from typical children. There are significant differences in the responses of the teachers and the expert service as to the beginning of child observation, giving of instructions to a teacher after the child is observed and the approach to the child is adjusted after observation and adjustment of access to the child. Teachers and members of the expert service show a high degree of agreement, statistically significant, about the statements regarding the need for a special educator as a professional associates in the preschools.