Supervising Early Intervention Service Coordinators: Key Components and Systemic Barriers

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) governs the Early Intervention (EI) system for families of children aged birth to three with or at risk for developmental delays and disabilities. In EI, families have a key point of contact who manages their evaluations and services, the service coordinator (SC). In Illinois, counties are grouped into 25 Child and Family Connection (CFC) regional offices to serve EI families. SCs in each CFC are overseen by an SC supervisor. There is limited research on the supervision of SCs. The purpose of this qualitative study was to offer an in-depth look at the barriers SC supervisors face and the supervisory characteristics that affect their work. During semistructured interviews, seven participants discussed the traits, motivation, and communication skills influencing their effectiveness, the systemic barriers they face, and the emotional strain these challenges place on SC supervisors. Implications for research and practice are discussed.