First Steps and Infancy Onward will be holding an annual statewide conference for their dedicated personnel. This special conference brings Indiana’s early interventionists and families together to share, learn, and network. The conference will be held on June 9-10, 2022 in Bloomington, Indiana (online if Covid regulations dictate). The cost is $75 (early bird rate) until March 14, 2022 when it goes up to $90.
Keynote Speakers
Dr. Iheoma U. Iruka
Iheoma U. Iruka (pronounced EE-OMAH EE-ROO-KAH), Ph.D., is a Research Professor in the Department of Public Policy, a Fellow at the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute (FPG) and the Founding Director of the Equity Research Action Coalition at FPG (the Coalition) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. Iruka is leading projects and initiatives focused on ensuring that minoritized children and children from low-income households, especially Black children, are thriving. She is focused on ensuring excellence for young diverse learners, especially Black children and their families, through the intersection of anti-bias, anti-racist, culturally grounded research, program, and policy. Some areas of focus include family engagement and support, quality rating and improvement systems, and early care and education system and programs. Dr. Iruka serves and has served on numerous national and local boards and committees, including the National Advisory Committee for the U.S. Census Bureau, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, the American Psychological Association’s Board of Educational Affairs, Brady Education Foundation, and Trust for Learning.
She has a B.A. in Psychology from Temple University, an M.A. in Psychology from Boston University, and an M.S. and Ph.D. in applied developmental psychology from the University of Miami, FL.
Rachel Giannini
We are excited to welcome Rachel Giannini as one of our keynote speakers for 2022. Ms. Rachel is a teacher, early childhood specialist, and an advocate for children. She can be seen on her YouTube channel, in the No Small Matter Documentary Film, on her show Hellosaurus, Spy School, and inspiring early childhood educators and advocates aound the country.
Become a Sponsor or an Exhibitor
The 2022 Indiana Early Intervention Conference is rapidly approaching. We know last year was tough and your focus may not be on early intervention for families of children with disabilities but early intervention needs you more than ever. Our early intervention providers spent last year learning how to do services with families remotely, through phones and iPads and laptops. They pivoted quickly and learned how to show parents how to help their children using dolls and gestures and verbal prompts. Children with disabilities are often at greater risk of contracting infections, so families have been isolating and depending more than ever on their First Steps providers for much needed support and information.
For these reasons, a 2022 conference is desperately needed; to share best practices in early intervention that have changed and evolved due to COVID. Don’t miss out on your chance to sponsor or exhibit at this event. Your sponsorship will provide Indiana’s early intervention professionals a chance to learn and network. This year will also offer families of young children with disabilities a chance to join the conference with dedicated sessions that will help them in supporting their children and connecting with other families.
Call for Proposals
Indiana First Steps is partnering with Infancy Onward and Indiana University’s Early Childhood Center to bring together national and local experts on early intervention. To submit a proposal to present your evidence-based research or innovative ideas at the conference please complete the submission form. Submissions will be accepted until January 15, 2022.