# Using SEAM with Families

## Tips for Introducing, Scoring, Sharing, and Following Up

A tool from the ASQ developer group, Social-Emotional Assessment/Evaluation Measure (SEAM™) ([http://bit.ly/SEAMAssessment](http://bit.ly/SEAMAssessment)) gives parents and practitioners a framework for examining children’s social-emotional development, and noting strengths and areas of concern.

There’s even a Family Profile portion for caregivers to report strengths and any additional support or resources they may need to provide the best environment for their child’s social and emotional growth.

SEAM can be a valuable addition to any early childhood program’s assessment toolbox, especially if you follow these tips for using the tool with families.

SEAM provides in-depth social-emotional information and optimizes positive parent–child interactions in the first years of life.

## Introducing SEAM

Introducing SEAM to families in the right way can really help families engage productively with the process. Caregivers may need time before they feel comfortable sharing concerns and discussing issues about their child, so consider these best practices:

**TIP:** Build trust. If possible, try to have a few interactions with the family before asking caregivers to help complete SEAM or SEAM Family Profile.

> “SEAM is a tool that helps us take a look at your child’s social-emotional development. Items on SEAM focus on skills children need in order to get along well with others, control their own emotions and behaviors, and develop a positive self-image. SEAM can help us identify specific skills and behaviors we can work on with your child, and it can also help us find resources to support your child’s social-emotional development. Positive social-emotional skills help children to be successful in all areas of their lives.”

## Introducing SEAM Family Profile

Like SEAM, SEAM Family Profile includes benchmarks and corresponding items for each of three intervals: infant, toddler, and preschool. But the Family Profile is designed to gather information about the strengths and needs of the caregiver as it relates to their child’s social-emotional development.

Not all programs that use SEAM also use SEAM Family Profile, but those that do find that it promotes parental engagement. SEAM co-developer Jane Squires, Ph.D., says, “it’s an excellent tool for gathering a family’s view of their child, their own abilities with the child, and the areas of concern as well as joy.”

Here are some ways you can help get the most out of SEAM Family Profile:

**TIP:** Explain why the tool is valuable. Some caregivers may be uncomfortable talking about their parenting skills. Ease them into it by discussing the benefits of SEAM. You might say something like:

> “SEAM Family Profile is designed to gather information about what you feel is going well in your relationship with your child as well as any supports and resources you might need to provide a safe and nurturing environment for your child. Items on SEAM Family Profile focus on knowledge, skills, and resources caregivers need in order to foster their children’s social-emotional development.”

**TIP:** Administer it in a way that works best for the caregiver. This may mean they complete it independently, or during parenting groups or classes, or in an interview setting. Even though items are written in language that is easy to understand, most practitioners prefer to offer an interview because it allows for real-time interaction with families.

Zickefoose’s experience is common among practitioners, who find that the more time they invest in explaining how the assessment works, the more smoothly it goes. These tips may help:

**TIP:** Review the scoring method. Before a caregiver completes SEAM, show them how it works. Explain the four possible responses (very true, somewhat true, rarely true, and never true) and how numerical values are assigned to each response, if these are being used. Download SEAM Guidelines for Using Numerical Scores tip sheet ([http://bit.ly/SEAMNumScore](http://bit.ly/SEAMNumScore)).

**TIP:** Encourage thoughtful responses. Tell caregivers to take their time and observe their child if needed, before responding to an item. Remind them that the examples are there just to give an idea of how a behavior might look and that every child is different.

## Sharing Results

The Summary Form is a useful starting point for communicating results with families, but many programs may find that families respond better to another format.

Nancy Miller is an early childhood student services consultant in the Early Childhood/Early Childhood Special Education program in the Blue Valley School District ([http://bit.ly/BlueValleySchools](http://bit.ly/BlueValleySchools)). Blue Valley early childhood teams occasionally use SEAM to supplement AEPS® ([http://bit.ly/AEPSsystem](http://bit.ly/AEPSsystem)), since it allows them to dig deeper and assess a broader array of social emotional skills.

Here are some other tips for effectively communicating results with families:

**TIP:** Be timely. Provide follow-up as quickly as possible after the assessment, while the experience is still fresh in the caregivers’ minds.

**TIP:** Show you value confidentiality. Choose a private setting for your conversation and assure parents that it’s confidential.

**TIP:** Don’t rush the results. Dr. Squires stresses the importance of having conversations about results at a time when families and providers are not hurried, and when they can engage in a back-and-forth conversation. “Families need to feel that they are being heard and that their concerns can be addressed, and strengths recognized,” she says.

**TIP:** Be positive. Talk about the child’s strengths, and focus on parents’ current skills and resources. Avoid using terms like fail, normal, and abnormal. Waddell says, “The key is really focusing on strengths first, and then fully hearing and addressing the family’s concerns.”

**TIP:** Listen. Give parents an opportunity to express their perceptions of their child, and even if you don’t agree, be open to new ideas and viewpoints.

**TIP:** Consider outside influences. Discuss anything that may have affected results, including cultural, environmental, or health factors.

## Following Up with Goals and Activities

The most important aspect of communicating results with families is setting goals that address areas of concern or focus. Practitioners can then help create activities that support the child’s and family’s development of selected skills, and guide caregivers in providing children with opportunities to practice these skills within the context of daily family routines and activities.

**TIP:** Prioritize items that were flagged as concerns or focus areas. Waddell says you can also review SEAM results and consider items scored not true or rarely true as items that may be addressed.

**TIP:** Create activities that can be practiced every day. Offer caregivers ways they can address behaviors of concern, but make sure activities are simple and straightforward enough that the family can incorporate them seamlessly. For example, caregivers can practice back-and-forth conversations during meal and diapering times, or naming emotions while reading books.