While the resources listed here are some of our favourites specific to the Early Start Denver Model, Parent Coaching, and early intervention; JHMJ Coaching & Consulting is not endorsing any of the listed websites and/or the content. Should these online links stop functioning anywhere on the website, we would appreciate it if you would contact us to let us know!
The Early Start Denver Model (ESDM)
- The ESDM Training Manual: The Early Start Denver Model for Young Children with Autism: Promoting Language Learning and Engagement (Rogers, & Dawson, 2009).
- Early Start Denver Model Curriculum Checklist for Young Children with Autism. This checklist is an essential component of the ESDM.
- A guide for parents, caregivers, family-members, professionals, and related individuals interacting with young children with autism and related diagnoses. An Early Start for Your Child with Autism: Using Everyday Activities to help Kids Connect, Communicate, and Learn (Rogers, Dawson, & Vismara, 2012). This handbook has practical information written in a comprehensive manner. The strategies listed in this book can be helpful for all young children, not just those with autism and related diagnoses.
- UC Davis Mind Institute ESDM Training Program. This is where much of the research-based work related to ESDM occurs.
- Listing of ESDM certified therapists and ESDM certified trainers.
Dr. Sally Rogers co-authored a study with Dr. Laurie Vismara in collaboration with Dr. Sally Ozonof where they examined the effects of parent coaching on babies showing unusual development without a diagnosis of any kind. Results were positive and demonstrated the powerful role that parents were able to play in altering their children’s developmental trajectories.
Dr. Sally Rogers conducted a brief video-based interview about this small pilot study. Although we are not able to draw wide-reaching conclusions due to the small sample size of this pilot study, results are certainly promising. CTV News also completed a video and written report of the use of ESDM with babies.
Parent Coaching
- Help is in your hands is a wonderful online resource for families with children who have diagnosed or suspected autism and for service providers supporting families. It is interactive and online. There are many excellent videos. While it is a free resource, there is a login required.
- The Early Coaching Handbook by Dathan Rush and M’Lisa Shelden is an excellent resource for professionals wanting to learn more about parent coaching
- Coaching Families and Colleagues in Early Childhood by Barbra Hanft, Dathan Rush and M’Lisa Shelden is a great book describing coaching practices and characteristics.
- Coaching parents of young children with autism: promoting communication, connection, and learning is a manual for early intervention professionals wanting to read more about parent coaching using the ESDM (or P-ESDM). This comprehensive book looks at the role of the coach and offers excellent suggestions for how to successfully collaborate with parents using the P-ESDM.
The PACE Coaching Project
Training Community Providers to Support Parents of Toddlers at Risk for Autism
The Parent and Child Early (PACE) Coaching Project was conducted in collaboration with Child Development Centres (CDCs) and Aboriginal service agencies across British Columbia, Canada from 2017-2020. The project was aimed at parents of toddlers (age 15-36 months) who were at risk for autism.
One of the objectives was to train community service providers to deliver a parent coaching intervention to parents of toddlers at risk for autism. Michaela and Janet both participated in this project as parent coach trainers, which cemented their ongoing commitment to supporting families using this model.
Learn more about the PACE project here. Read the results of the Randomized Control Trial here.
Related Resources
- Interacting with Autism. This is an American-based website has several videos describing the various facets of the ESDM and other evidence-informed models. Pdf versions of several research publications about ESDM can also be found here. Notice the top tab of called ‘treating’. Within this section there are more video examples of other early intervention methods which could be examined and compared with ESDM. There are also videos about many other factors related to autism outside of early intervention on this site.
- Media Report. This is an American-made TV video-based media report about the Early Start Denver Model which shows a little bit about the UC Davis Mind Institute as well as a short interview with Dr. Sally Rogers.
- The National Autism Centre. This is an American-based nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting Evidence-Based Practice. There are many comprehensive resources available on this site.
- Autism Navigator. This is an online website with many tools including videos explaining autism and related evidence-based information. There are online courses and resources available that are tailored for both families and professionals.
- Baby Navigator. This is a resource for parents who are wanting to understand more about typical child development. This evidence-informed and easy-to-read website will help parents identify key developmental milestones for children from birth to 24 months.
