Service Practice Evaluation of the Early Intervention Programs for Infants and Young Children in Singapore

This study evaluated the extent to which family-centered practices were implemented in 11 Early Intervention Programs for Infants and Young Children (EIPIC). The EIPIC centers offer center-based interventions to young children with moderate and severe disabilities in Singapore. A mixed-method approach was used to evaluate the study. The Measure of Processes of Care (MPOC-20) questionnaire was administered to 310 parents. Exploratory factor analyses were performed and generated 16 items that loaded on to 4 factors: Enabling and Partnership, Provision of General Information, Provision of Child-specific Information, and Respectful and Supportive Care. The factor “Coordinated and Comprehensive Care” failed to emerge as a dimension of family-centered care giving. Focus group discussions with 70 parents provided further in-depth information to delineate and elaborate family-oriented factors that parents perceived as important in contributing to family well-being. These included: the nature of support they liked...