The Play and Language for Autistic Youngsters (PLAY) Project
Category
Family Support
Child's Age
2-3 years, 3-4 years, 4-5 years
Participant
Children, Parents/Guardian
Languages
English, Spanish, Other
Brief Description
The Play and Language for Autistic Youngsters (PLAY) Project is a parent implemented, intensive early intervention program for young children with autism. PLAY Project Consultants (PPCs) train parents/caregivers to deliver the intervention at home and engage the child in play that promotes their development.
Expected Impact
- Improvements in diagnostic classification
- Improvement in parent-child interactions (responding sensitively and effectively engaging)
- Improvement in parent-child interactions
- Reduction in depressive symptomology
- Improvement in children’s social-emotional development
- Satisfaction with PLAY Project training and implementation preparation
- Caregivers reported that the video and written feedback helped them understand their child better
- Caregivers reported that PLAY rarely increased their stress levels
Core Components for Model Fidelity
- Consultant Training: PLAY Project Consultants (PPCs) are trained using implementation procedures through the PLAY Project Organization.
- Home Visits: The PPC works with parents/caregivers to teach and support them using the 7 Circles of the PLAY Project. The consultant partners with families to strengthen family-child relationships and to build confidence, competence, and trust through developmentally appropriate play. During visits, PPCs train families, answer questions, receive family updates, coach the family, give video feedback, and model the techniques and activities for the parents/caregivers to use.
- Video Feedback: PPCs record 10–15-minute videos during each visit, which are used to provide feedback to the family and develop written feedback plans for the parents.
- Individualized Approach: The program is individualized for the child’s abilities, interests, and development.
Languages Materials are Available in
English, Spanish, Other*
*Contact purveyor about additional available languages.
Delivery Mode
PLAY Project visits occur in-person, typically in the family/child’s home but can also be delivered in an office setting if necessary.
Dosage
Home visits last 2-3 hours and occur once a month.
Implementation of PLAY is flexible and adapts to the needs of parents and professionals; however, 3 hours per month is a recommended minimum dosage and can be broken up based on session length and frequency. PLAY Project recommends that parents/caregivers put in 1-2 hours per day of engaging interaction throughout all daily activities and encourages caregivers to participate in 2-3 brief, 15–25-minute play sessions throughout the day. This is equivalent to 10-15 hours per week of active engagement using play sessions and activities.
Infrastructure for Implementation
Materials: PPCs require video recording equipment for use during sessions.
Space: Existing home or office space is sufficient.
Other: Organizations that implement PLAY must go through a rigorous 12–18-month training based on PLAY Project Fidelity Manual. Once certified, PLAY Project Consultants/Organizations must be licensed.
Staffing Requirements
Although not required, most professionals who receive PLAY Project Consultant (PPC) training hold master's degrees (or higher) in child development/pediatric professions (e.g., SLP, OT, MSW, MEd, PhD, or MD). PPC training applicants without a master's degree are assessed on a case-by-case basis (e.g., early interventionists or pediatric OT assistants).
A full-time certified PPC serves a maximum of 25 families. Consultants may provide services part-time and reduce their caseload accordingly (serving a minimum of 3 families).
NCPC strongly recommends staff receive training in the Standards of Quality for Family Support and Strengthening. Contact Positive Childhood Alliance North Carolina (PCANC) or National Family Support Network (NFSN) for more information, training, and certification.
Training for Model Fidelity
The consultant must be trained and certified by the PLAY Project Organization to deliver the intervention. Training includes an implementation blueprint for integration into regularly provided services. Recertification is required every 3 years.
The PLAY Project Consultant Certification Process includes the following steps:
- Application: Eligible participants include Master’s level child development professionals.·
- Intensive Workshop: 2-day livestream or intensive workshop covering the basics of the model, available online.
- Implementation Course: 6-week long course to help potential consultants learn to give effective feedback to parents, after which consultants can begin working with families under supervision.
- 12-18 Months of Supervision: Consultants must complete 5 online case studies and 15 cases reviewed by a supervisor before becoming a fully Certified PLAY Project Consultant.
There are 3 paths of Certification Training.
- Implementing agencies using Smart Start funds to implement the PLAY Project must complete the PLAY Project Consultant Certification (for professionals working in the home or office/clinic). There are two other certification options not currently eligible for Smart Start funding, as of March 2024.
Contact Information
Rachel Tewari: Communications & Program Coordinator; Rachel@playproject.org
Cost Estimates
Certification is $4,200 per individual PPC (group rates are available). This estimate includes all certification activities but does not include the intensive workshop (additional $395).
Licensing is included in the first year at no additional cost. After the first year, the annual licensing fee is $300.
Purpose Service Code (PSC)
5505 - Parent Education
Program Identifier (PID)
The Play and Language for Autistic Youngsters (PLAY) Project
Minimal Outputs for NCPC Reporting
FY 24-25:
- Number of parents/guardians participating†
†Select Family Support Programs data collection will include basic demographic data for parent/guardian participants including Race, Ethnicity. Data on interpretation and transportation will be collected when appropriate. Output instructions are included in LP Central.
Minimal Outcomes for NCPC Reporting
FY 24-25:
- Increase in parent knowledge
Minimal Measures for NCPC Reporting
FY 24-25:
- PLAY Project Satisfaction Surveys
- PLAY Project Quiz
NCPC Evidence Categorization
Evidence Informed- 3 publications. 1 randomized control trial, 1 pilot study, and 1 program evaluation. Only the randomized control trial used a comparison group.
Research Summary
The following studies include a pilot study, a randomized controlled trial, and a program evaluation. Solomon et al. (2007)1 found an increase in children’s developmental progress over time and a significant increase in the clinical progress children made. Although statistically non-significant, authors note that less hours spent participating was related to lower outcome scores. Solomon et al. (2014)2 found that PLAY children were two times more likely to improve their diagnostic classification. Interaction quality significantly improved for families in PLAY and the PLAY group children significantly improved in their socioemotional behavior. Parenting stress decreased over time, with no significant differences between control and intervention groups, and PLAY parents were said to have greater decreases in depression. Intervention parents also showed significant improvements in their ability to sensitively respond and engage with their child. In 2015 the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities3 conducted a program evaluation of this intervention. Overall, they found positive responses regarding training experiences and most professionals were satisfied with the implementation preparation provided in the training. Caregivers looked forward to the visits and a majority felt that the video and written feedback helped them understand their child better. They found the PLAY approach easy to understand and reported that PLAY rarely increased their stress levels.
- ^ See Solomon et al. (2007). Research was conducted as a pilot study with 68 children aged 18 months to 6 years diagnosed with either Autism, pervasive developmental disorder otherwise not specified, or Asperger Syndrome. Data was collected pre and post intervention and the families were self-selected. Measures used included the Functional Emotional Assessment Scale, clinical ratings completed by program consultants, a client satisfaction survey, and parent reports of average time spent using PLAY Project methods and other interventions.
- ^ See Solomon et al. (2014). Research was conducted using a randomized controlled trial. The population included 128 children diagnosed with ASDs, aged 3-5, and recruited from disability agencies. They were racially diverse families and considered lower income. Data was collected pre and post intervention. Measures included ADOS-G (Autism Diagnosis and Symptoms), Social Communication Questionnaire, Child Behavior Rating Scale, Maternal Behavior Rating Scale, the Mullen Scales of Early Learning, MacArthur Child Development Inventory, Functional Emotional Assessment Scale, Parenting Stress Index, and the Center of Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale.
- ^ See Espe-Scherwindt et al. (2015). This program evaluation used online surveys, telephone interviews, virtual focus groups, video analysis, case studies, and descriptive demographics to collect data on the implementation of the PLAY project throughout Ohio. They conducted the evaluation using responses from participatory families, certified consultants, consultants in training, and administrators/supervisors.
Researched Population
- Children diagnosed with autism or similar disorders
- Children ages 2-6 years
- Families who identified as low-income and/or racially/ethnically diverse
Espe-Scherwindt, M., Gothard, D., Buletko, B., Stoner, G., & McCauley, A. (2015). Evaluation of the Ohio PLAY Project, Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities CSP904215. https://www.playproject.org/assets/PLAY-Evaluation-Final-Report.pdf
Solomon, R., Necheles, J., Ferch, C., & Bruckman, D. (2007). Pilot study of a parent training program for young children with autism: The PLAY Project Home Consultation program. Autism, 11(3), 205-224. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361307076842
Solomon, R., Van Egeren L. A., Mahoney, G., Quon-Huber, M. S., & Zimmerman, P. (2014). PLAY Project home consultation intervention program for young children with autism spectrum disorders: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, 35(8), 475-485. https://www.doi.org/10.1097/DBP.0000000000000096
Local Partnerships Currently Implementing
Local Partnerships in purple have adopted The Play and Language for Autistic Youngsters (PLAY) Project . Local Partnership contact information can be found here.