What is the Routines Based Interview™?
The RBI™ is a semi-structured interview that helps you examine the day to day activities of children within the context of their family and community settings. The goals of the RBI™ are to begin to 1) develop a relationship with the family and/or caregivers, 2) obtain a rich description of how the child functions within his daily activities, and 3) create a list of functional child and family outcomes/goals. These outcomes/goals are based on the family’s priorities and concerns. The RBI™ can be used in a care-based/school setting, as well as in interviews with the family. If a child is enrolled in a community-based program for greater than 15 hours a week, then the RBI™ should be completed with both the family and the care provider/educator.
Guide to Using this Module:
Below you will find RBI videos, RBI tools and related resources, and suggestions for how to use the videos and tools. Here’s what to look for:
· Recommendations and suggestions for the use of this module — trainers and practitioners
· Three video examples of RBI videos, complete with Ecomaps
· Short Practitioner video clips from complete interviews, displaying interviewing around one routine
· RBI Tools — the RBI checklist and note-taking tool
· Resources from the Early Childhood and Early Intervention/Special Education fields
Recommendations for trainers and practitioners:
Trainer –
- Facilitate the trainees’ viewing of an RBI™ in its entirety, using the note-taking form.
- Select one or more routines for viewing. Have your trainees write down the questions they heard used in the interview that elicited information about child engagement, independence, and social relationships.
- Select one or more routines for viewing. Have trainees identify what questions they may have asked if they were the ones conducting the interview.
- After introducing the RBI™ Implementation Checklist, have the trainees watch one of the expert videos and complete the checklist.
Practitioner-
We recommend viewing the experts’ RBI™ videos in their entirety, especially if you have never seen an RBI™ . However, if you wish to use the videos for additional practice purposes, we have included a guide to the timing of the interview components based on the headings developed in the interviewer’s notes. Here are our suggestions for use:
1. Practice taking notes.
2. Jot down questions you’ve heard, those you were surprised you didn’t hear, and any questions you had or that you would have asked.
3. Describe what you noticed about non-verbal communication from both the interviewer and the family member/caregiver.
4. Reflection opportunities- What are you wondering about after watching the video? What questions do you have about the process? What additional information do you need? How will you incorporate what you’ve learned into your own practice?
5. Refresher Opportunity/Maintaining fidelity to the RBI™ process- Review an expert video and note any differences in your current practices in the questions you use, how you phrase the 3 key questions, how you are following the logistical process of the interview (how you start and end the interview, how you indicate the need for details about the activities, how you are ensuring you are getting EISR information, and how you are using professional judgement to maintain the integrity of the interview process) and reflect on these components.
Video Examples of the Routines Based Interview
Robin McWilliam interviews the parents of a toddler about their concerns with her health and development. You will see the development of the ecomap, the conducting of the interview, and the development of the list of priorities.
Resources for this video:
Robin McWilliam interviews a parent about her concerns with her son. You will see the development of the ecomap, the conducting of the interview, and the development of the list of priorities.
Resources for this video:
Additional Video Resource:
Robin McWilliam answers questions about the interview and discusses the decisions he made during the interview.
Mary Hendricks interviews a parent about her concerns with her toddler. You will see the development of the ecomap, the conducting of the interview, and the development of the list of priorities.
Resources for this video:
Practitioner Video Clips of One Routine
In this clip, the practitioner is interviewing the parent about the family’s morning routine/activity.
In this clip, the practitioner is interviewing the parent about arriving home in the afternoon/evening.
In this clip, the practitioner is interviewing the parent about the midmorning activity — playtime.
In this clip, the practitioner has returned to a topic the parent mentioned earlier in the interview, the topic of outings (shopping, etc.).
Resources
RBI Fidelity Checklist
How to become a certified RBI trainer
Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center — Mission and Principles
Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center –Principles: Looks Like and Doesn’t Look Like
