Good News Friday!

Today I’d like to highlight Imagine!’s Dayspring department, which has been providing parent education and therapeutic services to some of our youngest consumers for more than 20 years. Dayspring believes that the family is the child’s first teacher, and takes a whole child approach to encourage parents and children to build upon their strengths. Dayspring provides services and supports to children where they live, learn and play.

The Dayspring team consists of occupational and physical therapists, early childhood developmental specialists and speech language therapists. In addition, Dayspring offers parent and professional workshops on topics such as: sensory processing, the value of play, facilitating language, and feeding and eating concerns.

Why are these Early Intervention supports so important? Take a look at some numbers:

• One study calculated the total cumulative costs to age 18 of special education services to child beginning intervention at: (a) birth ; (b) age 2; (c) age 6; and (d) at age 6 with no eventual movement to regular education. The data showed that the total costs were actually less if begun at birth! Total cost of special services begun at birth was $37,273 and total cost if begun at age 6 was between $46,816 and $53,340. The cost is less when intervention is earlier because of the remediation and prevention of developmental problems which would have required special services later in life.

• A 3-year follow-up study showed that for every dollar spent on early treatment, $7.00 in savings were realized within 36 months. This savings resulted from deferral or special class placement and institutionalization of severe behavior disordered children.

• A recent evaluation of Colorado's state-wide early intervention services reports a cost savings of $4.00 for every dollar spent within a 3-year period.

You can learn more here.

Dayspring also has an Activity Calendar that offers great activities and opportunities for children to meet their goals through fun and play in the community. Much of a young child’s learning takes place when they direct their own play. Learning occurs as children touch, manipulate, experiment and talk about things, while interacting with people who facilitate without directing.

Dayspring staff members are dedicated and caring professionals who represent the best of Imagine!, and I am proud to be associated with Dayspring and the fine work they do.

You can learn even more about Dayspring by watching the video below.