Empowering Parents of Young Children with Visual Impairments: Strengthening Collaboration, Interactions and Communication with Families

with Tara Tompai
Wednesday, March 12, 2025
12:00pm-1:30pm (PT) | Virtual Event

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This session will include the opportunity to observe young children with visual impairments engaged in 2 different family routines and to work collaboratively to brainstorm thoughtful and productive questions to ask parents. We will work in partnership to create ideas on how to provide constructive and empowering feedback using adult learning principles.

In addition, this session will provide professionals with the opportunity to work together to share intervention strategies that will incorporate the child’s participation, enhance their concept development and include their use of senses within the routines observed.

Learning Objectives:
Participants will:

• Learn about adult learning principles and how to apply them to working collaboratively with parents.
• Explore the three building blocks of routine-based intervention for a child with a visual impairment.
• Acquire knowledge on how to collaboratively work with parents on creating strategies that include the three building blocks and applying them to the family’s day-to-day activities.
• Gain an understanding regarding why these key areas are important for a child’s overall learning and development.

Tara Tompai began her journey into the field of visual impairments in 2002 when she graduated from the Intervenor for Deafblind Persons Program in Toronto, Canada. She continued her education and became an orientation and mobility specialist in 2003. Her passion for early intervention grew and she decided to pursue early childhood education. Currently, Tara Tompai is an Early Childhood Vision Consultant at Surrey Place in Toronto, Canada. She provides support and service to parents and caregivers who have children ages birth to school-age who are diagnosed with a visual impairment.

Tara also works collaboratively with early childhood educators in the classroom and with other professionals who are supporting children with visual impairments. In addition to Tara’s role as a vision consultant, she supports other vision consultants across the province of Ontario to provide mentorship. You can follow Tara's impressive and informative content on instagram at @vision_earlyintervention

Non-Member: $55
IDA Agency/Individual Member: $40
IDA Parent/Student/New Clinician Member: $30

IDA CE Hours: Nursing, PT, Speech and Language* $15 (1.5 hour)
CDI CE Hours: LCSW, LMFT, LEP, LPCC (you will be invoiced)

ADA Requests: As a part of the Infant Development Association’s ongoing commitment to inclusion, we offer accommodations when possible. Please email IDA at [email protected] 10 business days prior to the event to request accommodations (ASL interpretation, large print, etc.).

Limited number of scholarships available

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