HEAD START®

Caring for Children with
Chronic Conditions

Training Guides for the Head Start Learning Community

Table of Contents | Preface | Introduction | Module 1 | Module 2 | Module 3
| Continuing Professional Development | Resources

MODULE 2: Activity 3 - Are We Prepared?

Module 2 | Activity 1 | Activity 2 | Activity 3 | Key to Activity 3 | Activity 4 | Activity 5 | Activity 6 | Activity 7 | Next Steps

Purpose:

Purpose: This activity helps participants recognize the value of a written Individualized Health Plan in promoting health, preventing illness, and improving the care of children with special health needs in Head Start.

For this activity you will need:

• Handout O: Jabari's Child Health Record
  
  
• Handout P: Jabari's Individualized Health Plan
  
  
• Key to Activity 3: The Story of Monique and Jabari–For Trainer Only
  

Step 1:

Explain that this activity helps to identify what is needed to care effectively for a child with a special health need.

Step 2:

Ask participants to imagine they are a Head Start classroom teacher for a four year old boy, Jabari.

Read aloud Part 1 of the Key to Activity 3: The Story of Monique and Jabari (the first week of school). When you get to the sentence about Jabari's Child Health Record, distribute Handout O: Jabari's Child Health Record, and give participants a minute to review it. Then finish Part 1 of the story.

Step 3: Ask participants:

• How does it feel...
  
  – for Jabari?
  
  – for you as the Head Start teacher?
  
  – for Jabari's mother, Monique?
  
  
• What would you do?
  
  
• What might happen to Jabari now?
  

Step 4:

Begin reading aloud Part 2 of the story. When you get to the sentence about the Individualized Health Plan, distribute Handout P: Jabari's Individualized Health Plan. Briefly review the handout with participants.

Step 5:

As you read the rest of the story, ask the participants to yell "STOP" at any point that they might consider taking some action. (Note: There is an asterisk at every point in the story where action is indicated.) Ask them to describe what action they would take.

Complete the story.

Step 6:

Ask participants:

• How did the second half of the story feel differently...
  
  – for Jabari?
  
  – for you as the Head Start teacher?
  
  – for Jabari's mother, Monique?
  
  
• How might the second half of the story end?
  
  
• What made the difference in the two stories?
  

Step 7:

Ask participants: Does your Head Start program currently develop Individualized Health Plans for children with special health needs?

• If yes:
  
  – What have been the benefits of using them?
  
  – What have been the difficulties in using them?
  
  
• If no:
  
  – Do you see a value in adding an Individualized Health Planning process to your program?
  
  – How would you decide which children would benefit from an Individualized Health Plan?
  
  – Who would be involved in developing such a plan?
  
  – Who would be involved in implementing and following up on such a plan?
  

Points to Consider:

• In order to provide effective care for children with special health care needs, it is important to develop an Individualized Health Plan with specific information on the child's diagnosis, conditions that typically trigger medical problems, signs and symptoms, medications, and an emergency response plan.
  
  
• The Individualized Health Plan should be developed by those individuals responsible for the child's health care: the family; the health care provider; and the Head Start health coordinator, management team, and lead teacher.
  
  
• Implementing the Individualized Health Plan requires that responsible staff receive protocols, training, equipment, supplies, supervision, and support.
  
  
• It is important to periodically follow-up on how the Individualized Health Plan has been working and to revise the plan as needed.