Chinese Journal of Rehabilitation Theory and Practice ›› 2025, Vol. 31 ›› Issue (3): 324-330.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1006-9771.2025.03.009

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Policy framework and support systems for early family education and rehabilitation for infants and toddlers with developmental impairments

ZHU Chenchen1, LIAO Sisi1(), LIU Yue1, PAN Jianming2,3, ZHU Zhulin4, XIA Bihua5, XIE Ying6   

  1. 1. Ningbo College of Health Sciences, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315100, China
    2. Jinzhi Weiye Group Co., Ltd., Changsha, Hunan 410004, China
    3. National Community for the Integration between Industry and Education in Infant Care Services, Changsha, Hunan 410004, China
    4. Ningbo Foreign Affairs School, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315012, China
    5. Fenghua Vocational Educational Center School, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315500, China
    6. Ningbo Yinzhou District Shounan Xuefu Experimental Kindergarten, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315100, China
  • Received:2025-02-25 Published:2025-03-25 Online:2025-03-25
  • Contact: LIAO Sisi, E-mail: 543758061@qq.com
  • Supported by:
    Healthy Ningbo Research Base Program(JD6-107);Ningbo City Educaiton Science Planning(2022YZD030)

Abstract:

Objective To explore the policy foundations of early family education and rehabilitation support systems for children with developmental disabilities aged zero to three years, based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), and to construct a comprehensive, whole-person and whole-lifecycle support system integrating early childhood education and rehabilitation services for families; and to propose corresponding system architecture, construction pathways and governance models.

Methods Policy documents were compared, which were related to children's rehabilitation from the World Health Organization, early education guidelines for children with disabilities from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the U.S. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, European Union children's rehabilitation policies, and the "14th Five-Year Plan" from China Disabled Persons' Federation. The related policy frameworks and key content of early family education and rehabilitation were reviewed, and the composition, implementation pathways and governance models of the support system were systymatically analyzed.

Results The support system consisted of early screening and assessment, family education and parent training, counseling and personalized education and rehabilitation support, community support and resource integration, and remote digital support platforms. The study proposed the implementation pathways for five systems, including early screening and assessment, family education and parent training, counseling and personalized rehabilitation support, community support and resource integration, and remote digital support platforms. It emphasized governance mechanisms such as multidisciplinary collaboration, interdepartmental coordination and support from remote digital platforms to build a continuous service chain from standardized assessments to interdepartmental collaboration.

Conclusion The person-centered approach and whole life span development concept based on the ICF model, as well as the guiding principles of the health services continuum, provide systematic theoretical and policy support for early childhood education and rehabilitation for children with developmental disabilities aged zero to three years. Through multidisciplinary collaboration, interdepartmental coordination and the application of digital platforms, a scientific, continuous and child-centered support system can be built. This not only facilitates early detection and precise intervention but also promotes multi-party collaboration among families, communities and professional institutions. It will further integrate disability prevention, rehabilitation and healthcare services, thereby improving children's functional abilities and family quality of life.

Key words: infants, toddlers, developmental impairment, family education, rehabilitation, support system

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