Child Growth and Development
Positive Guidance
Prevention and proper response for disruptive behavior
Developmental Screening
Information for Providers
What is developmental screening? Developmental screening is a short test to tell if a child is learning basic skills when he or she should, or if there are delays.
Who can do a developmental screening on a child? Professionals in early learning programs like child care, preschool, or home visiting; health care; community organizations; or school settings can provide a developmental screening.
Where can I get trained in using a developmental screening tool? Local CCR&R agencies have Professional Development Specialists trained in using and training others to use the Ages and Stages Questionnaire and the Ages and Stages Questionnaire: Social Emotional. Contact your local CCR&R to learn more about becoming trained and using the ASQ in your program.
Additional ASQ trainers in Montana
What is the ASQ-3™? The Ages and Stages Questionnaire, 3rdEdition. It is a developmental screening for children between the ages of one month to 5 ½ years. It is designed for use by early educators and health care professionals. It relies on parents as experts, is easy-to-use, family-friendly and creates the snapshot needed to catch delays and celebrate milestones.
What is the ASQ:SE? The Ages and Stages Questionnaire: Social Emotional, 2ndEdition is social emotional development screening tool for children between the ages of one month and 6 years. It is designed for use by early educators and health professionals. It relies on parents as experts and is and culturally sensitive. Results can help professionals quickly recognize young children at risk for social or emotional difficulties, identify behaviors of concern to caregivers, and identify any need for further assessment.
How often should I complete a screening on a child in my care? It depends on your program’s policies and procedures and the type of screening being used. For the ASQ-3, a general schedule of completion is to be completed at least 1 time per year or every 6 months. The ASQ:SE-2 should be completed every 6 months and the results of both screenings should always be reviewed in partnership with the parents.
Who completes a developmental screener on a child in my care? It depends on your program’s policies and procedures and the type of screening being used. For the ASQ-3 and the ASQ:SE-2, parents/caregivers complete the questionnaires and trained professionals/caregivers score them.
For more information on developmental screening go to Birth to 5: Watch Me Thrive!
Information for Parents
What is developmental screening? Developmental screening is a short test to tell if a child is learning basic skills when he or she should, or if there are delays. Ages and Stages Questionnaire -3 (ASQ-3™) and the Ages and Stages Questionnaire: Social Emotional (ASQ:SE) are examples of developmental screening tools used by many professionals in Montana.
How often should developmental screening be done on my child? It is recommended that a developmental screening be completed at least at 9 months, 18 months, and 24 and/or 30 months old by your doctor or pediatrician, however, it can be done more frequently by your doctor or another trained professional.
See the Bright Futures Schedule for more complete information on a screening schedule.
Who can do a developmental screening on a child? Professionals in early learning programs like child care, preschool, or home visiting; health care; community organizations; or school settings can provide a developmental screening.
Where can I find help getting a developmental screening for my child? Montana Milestones can help if you are concerned about your child’s development.
Home Visitors can also help you with any concerns you have about your child’s development.
CDC Milestone Tracker App
In the classroom and at home, children are always showing off their developmental milestones! Download CDC’s FREE Milestone Tracker app, available in English and Spanish, to track the development of children in your care and share with their parents so they can track milestones at home too!
Milestones matter! Track your child’s milestones from age 2 months to 5 years with CDC’s easy-to-use illustrated checklists; get tips from CDC for encouraging your child’s development; and find out what to do if you are ever concerned about how your child is developing.
From birth to age 5, your child should reach milestones in how he or she plays, learns, speaks, acts, and moves. Photos and videos in this app illustrate each milestone and make tracking them for your child easy and fun!
Family Engagement
Building Partnerships with Families
The goal of parent and family engagement is to work with families to build strong and effective partnerships that can help children and families thrive. These partnerships are grounded in positive, ongoing, and goal-oriented relationships with families. The relationships are based on mutual respect and trust. They are also developed over time, through a series of interactions between staff and families.
Successful relationships focus on families’ strengths. They build on a shared commitment to the child’s well-being and success. As relationships between staff and families grow stronger, mutually respectful partnerships are built. Strong partnerships with families contribute to positive and lasting change for families and children.
Explore these resources to learn strategies to strengthen relationships with families.
- Building Partnerships: Guide to Developing Relationships with Families
- Strategies for Family Engagement: Attitudes and Practices
- Family Engagement and Cultural Perspectives: Applying Strengths-based Attitudes
Parent Involvement and Family Engagement For Early Childhood Professionals
- Early childhood professionals have opportunities to build relationships that can positively impact children and their families for a lifetime. Strong relationships with families promote family well-being, positive parent-child relationships, and the ongoing learning and development of children and parents.