BOSR DCF STUDY GUIDE QUESTIONS &
ANSWERS
What are the three main reasons child care programs observe and screen children? -
ANSWER 1. Facilitate growth and development of every child
2. Detect early signs of developmental delay or disability
3. Identify signs of child abuse or neglect
Define: Assessment - ANSWER Assessment is a process whereby an agency or
organization gathers and reviews multiple sources of information about a child's
suspected or confirmed developmental delay or disability, and uses that information to
improve a child's outcomes.
Define: Evidence - ANSWER Documented evidence refers to written data collected by
the program. For example, there may be a file note stating when a child could stand on
one foot.
Define: Developmental Domains - ANSWER Categorize children's skills and abilities.
They include Physical Development, Cognitive Development and General Knowledge,
Language and Communication, Social and Emotional, and Approaches to Learning.
Define: Evaluation - ANSWER Evaluation is a process that determines a child's
eligibility for federal, state, and local programs and services.
Define: Natural Environment - ANSWER Refers to places the child would typically be,
such as home, the child care program, school, a place
of worship, or the homes of family and friends rather than a director's office,
doctor/therapist's office, or similar places.
Define: Observation - ANSWER An ongoing process in which child care professionals
recognize and document identifiable developmental milestones as they appear, using
tools such as checklists, anecdotal records, and running records.
Define: Screening - ANSWER Is an ongoing process in which child care professionals
use specialized observation and documentation tools to identify, document, and monitor
typical development or possible developmental delay.
Give examples of professional groups that perform each of these four activities:
observation, screening, assessment, and evaluation. - ANSWER Observation: child
care professionals monitor a child as he or she demonstrates identified skills or abilities
within a developmental domain or domains.
, Assessment: child care professionals refer families to the Florida Diagnostic and
Learning Resource System's Child Find for assessment, which may result in them being
referred to Children's Medical Services for evaluation of a delay or disability.
Evaluation:Children's Medical Services performs assessment and evaluation processes
to determine eligibility for programs and services under the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA).
Screening: child care professionals or other medical professionals
Relate the four guidelines for observations and screenings that take place in child care
settings. - ANSWER 1. Be informed
2. Be objective and accurate
3. Be honest and fair
4. Be focused
Name characteristics seen in effective child care professionals who observe and screen
children. - ANSWER Objective, follow directions, accurate/relevant documentation,
ethical, honest, fair, information seeker
List observation methods commonly seen in child care settings. - ANSWER 1. checklist
of skills and abilities to be observed.
2. Anecdotal record, which is is a narrative account of an event written shortly after it
occurred.
3. Running Record, which is an account of what a child is doing as it is happening.
4. Frequency Count, which records how often a behavior happens.
5. Conversations, which are word-for-word accounts of what children said while being
interviewed by a provider
6. time sample, which records what activities a child chooses to do during a given time
period, which is usually half an hour.
7. Standardized Tests, which are used to document a child's ability to compare and
contrast, solve a problem, classify objects, put things in sequential order, arrive at
conclusions, and perform other skills.
8. rating scale is used to measure a behavior, skill, or ability based on a series of quality
points or a continuum.
9. work sample, which is a product created by a child that becomes documentation of
the development of a skill. The work sample can be two-dimensional, such as a drawing
or writing sample; or three-dimensional, such as a sculpture.
10. Documentation refers to everything in a child's file, but that word can have a special
meaning when it is used in reference to child observation. In that case, documentation
refers to records that help identify a child who may be at risk of maltreatment, delay, or
disability; or to relay a suspicion of child abuse or neglect.
ANSWERS
What are the three main reasons child care programs observe and screen children? -
ANSWER 1. Facilitate growth and development of every child
2. Detect early signs of developmental delay or disability
3. Identify signs of child abuse or neglect
Define: Assessment - ANSWER Assessment is a process whereby an agency or
organization gathers and reviews multiple sources of information about a child's
suspected or confirmed developmental delay or disability, and uses that information to
improve a child's outcomes.
Define: Evidence - ANSWER Documented evidence refers to written data collected by
the program. For example, there may be a file note stating when a child could stand on
one foot.
Define: Developmental Domains - ANSWER Categorize children's skills and abilities.
They include Physical Development, Cognitive Development and General Knowledge,
Language and Communication, Social and Emotional, and Approaches to Learning.
Define: Evaluation - ANSWER Evaluation is a process that determines a child's
eligibility for federal, state, and local programs and services.
Define: Natural Environment - ANSWER Refers to places the child would typically be,
such as home, the child care program, school, a place
of worship, or the homes of family and friends rather than a director's office,
doctor/therapist's office, or similar places.
Define: Observation - ANSWER An ongoing process in which child care professionals
recognize and document identifiable developmental milestones as they appear, using
tools such as checklists, anecdotal records, and running records.
Define: Screening - ANSWER Is an ongoing process in which child care professionals
use specialized observation and documentation tools to identify, document, and monitor
typical development or possible developmental delay.
Give examples of professional groups that perform each of these four activities:
observation, screening, assessment, and evaluation. - ANSWER Observation: child
care professionals monitor a child as he or she demonstrates identified skills or abilities
within a developmental domain or domains.
, Assessment: child care professionals refer families to the Florida Diagnostic and
Learning Resource System's Child Find for assessment, which may result in them being
referred to Children's Medical Services for evaluation of a delay or disability.
Evaluation:Children's Medical Services performs assessment and evaluation processes
to determine eligibility for programs and services under the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA).
Screening: child care professionals or other medical professionals
Relate the four guidelines for observations and screenings that take place in child care
settings. - ANSWER 1. Be informed
2. Be objective and accurate
3. Be honest and fair
4. Be focused
Name characteristics seen in effective child care professionals who observe and screen
children. - ANSWER Objective, follow directions, accurate/relevant documentation,
ethical, honest, fair, information seeker
List observation methods commonly seen in child care settings. - ANSWER 1. checklist
of skills and abilities to be observed.
2. Anecdotal record, which is is a narrative account of an event written shortly after it
occurred.
3. Running Record, which is an account of what a child is doing as it is happening.
4. Frequency Count, which records how often a behavior happens.
5. Conversations, which are word-for-word accounts of what children said while being
interviewed by a provider
6. time sample, which records what activities a child chooses to do during a given time
period, which is usually half an hour.
7. Standardized Tests, which are used to document a child's ability to compare and
contrast, solve a problem, classify objects, put things in sequential order, arrive at
conclusions, and perform other skills.
8. rating scale is used to measure a behavior, skill, or ability based on a series of quality
points or a continuum.
9. work sample, which is a product created by a child that becomes documentation of
the development of a skill. The work sample can be two-dimensional, such as a drawing
or writing sample; or three-dimensional, such as a sculpture.
10. Documentation refers to everything in a child's file, but that word can have a special
meaning when it is used in reference to child observation. In that case, documentation
refers to records that help identify a child who may be at risk of maltreatment, delay, or
disability; or to relay a suspicion of child abuse or neglect.
