Search

The purposes of this study were to determine the state of current practice in early intervention in Finland and to compare them to American data. Professional women (N = 52), representing child care, elementary school, healthcare, and social work, completed the Families in Natural Environments Scale of Service Evaluation, a 34-item questionnaire about typical and ideal practices. Large differences between typical and ideal practices were found in all the 4 components of early intervention measured: first encounters, intervention planning, functionality, and service delivery. American typical-practice scores were more family-centered and in natural environments than Finnish scores, but some Finnish ideal-practice scores were higher than American scores. Implications for national administration of early intervention services, outcomes research, and more in-depth research are discussed. (Contains 2 figures and 2 tables.)