Helping Parents Complete

Checking to make sure children’s development is on track—and identifying any potential delays—is important to every young child’s future.

Parents, who know their child best, are a key part of developmental screening with ASQ®-3 and social-emotional screening with ASQ®:SE-2. You can play an important part in supporting parents through the process.

How can you help?

This guide gives you some helpful pointers on how to support parents during the ASQ screening process.

Let’s get started!

1

Introduce screening to parents

Start by explaining the purpose of screening and describing the ASQ system to parents. This will help them understand and complete the questionnaires more accurately.

You can use the tip sheets below (available in English and Spanish) to introduce ASQ-3 and ASQ:SE-2 in-person.

• Introducing ASQ-3 to Parents
• Introducing ASQ:SE-2 to Parents
• What is ASQ-3?
• What is ASQ:SE-2?

2

Alleviate potential fears

Some parents may feel uncomfortable about completing ASQ-3 or ASQ:SE-2. Emphasize that screening provides an opportunity to celebrate their child’s strengths and learn more about key milestones, as well as catch areas that may need support.

3

State the importance of the parents’ role

Make sure the parents know that they are an important part of the process.

Tell them that parents know their child best and that their unique knowledge of the child’s interests, behaviors, and interactions in various settings is key to developing a full picture of the child's development.

4 Be aware and responsive to cultural and linguistic differences

Some ASQ-3 or ASQ:SE-2 questions may need to be changed or skipped because of cultural, linguistic, or geographic factors. To determine which adaptations might need to be made for a family, talk with an interpreter or another professional from that family’s cultural background.

If possible, review ASQ-3 and ASQ:SE-2 items with the parents ahead of time and talk about activities, such as “tummy time,” that may not be part of a family’s culture. Assure the parents that those items can be skipped if needed.

For more in-depth information on cultural differences, watch our webinar on using ASQ with diverse families.

5

Offer options for completing questionnaires

Consider if parents need options to complete ASQ questionnaires. Ask yourself: Do they have a computer and internet access? Would it be easier for them to complete it at home or at school?

Give families multiple options for completing the questionnaires: in person, online, over the phone, at home, or in the office or school. This encourages their participation.

6 Go over what they’ll find in the questionnaires

Describe briefly the developmental areas of the ASQ-3 questionnaires and the behavioral areas of the ASQ:SE-2 questionnaires. Try the recommended dialogue in the tip sheets below.

• Introducing ASQ-3 Questionnaires
• Introducing ASQ:SE-2 Questionnaires

7

Give parents a timeframe for completion

Give parents a timeline so the questionnaires will be completed by a certain date.

If parents miss the targeted date, follow-up with them.

8

Share results with families

After the questionnaire is scored, share screening results as quickly as you can. Be sure to:

• Highlight the child’s strengths, as well as areas for further support
• Avoid terms such as fail, normal, or abnormal
• Discuss information that may have affected results (health history, cultural factors, or the setting/time of screening)
• Allow time for questions or concerns
• Include discussion about next steps or follow-up, if needed.

Sharing results that indicate that development may not be on schedule can be a sensitive conversation.

• Review ASQ results in person whenever possible, in a scheduled private time.
• Be sure to consider factors that may have affected a child’s performance— how is the child doing developmentally? Was the setting familiar? Have there been recent changes in a child’s health or routines?
• Listen attentively to parents’ concerns for their child and be open to new viewpoints.
• If parents are interested, provide information about community resources and referral options.

Remember: Parents take the lead and direct the referral process— you’re there to help them take the next steps.

9 Suggest play and learning activities to encourage development

Provide parents with ideas for fun games and activities to help their child learn and grow, such as these activity sheets (available in English and Spanish).

• ASQ-3 Parent Activities
• ASQ:SE-2 Parent Activities For even more fun, developmentally appropriate learning activities, use the ASQ-3 Learning Activities and the ASQ:SE-2 Learning Activities & More (available in English & Spanish).