April 16, 2007

Shelley Cox is the author, founder and trainer of “EDU-Play Training Institute – Working with Young Children with Special Needs & Their Families” – an in-house training program for all Step by Step Staff and families.  Shelley was awarded the 2007 Infant Development Association of California Distinguished Service Award.   Shelley is currently enrolled in the PhD program for Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology at Santa Barbara Graduate Institute.

EG:  How has being a parent influenced your career?

Shelley: My daughter was born with severe cerebral palsy.  She was stillborn at birth, almost black.  It took twenty minutes to get her stable. I thank God for the doctors that saved her life.  She is twenty-three years old now and independent.  She is the most incredible woman and the light of my life. My daughter has significantly changed my life.  I was previously in retail management.  We received incredible support from collaborative agencies in the early years with both the mental and developmental issues that arose.  I eventually worked for the agency that supported our family’s needs.  I was eternally grateful and wanted to give back. 

EG:  Can you share with us about your career path?

Shelley: I received my counseling degree at San Diego State University and a supplemental Child Developmental and Special Education degree.  For the last twenty-five years I have been working to develop policy and to set up family resource centers across the state that offer parent-to-parent support and training dependent on the specific needs of each community. I have been active in leadership roles with the Infant Development Association for the past 15 years developing the newsletter and conference chair for multiple conferences.  I was appointed to an inter-agency coordinating council by Governor Dukmajian to develop legislation for Early Intervention Programs with both state and federal legislation.  I became an integral part of the early intervention planning process for the development of California Early Start Family Resource Centers in San Diego as well as helped two centers in Los Angeles get off the ground.  In 1988 I started an early intervention program called Step by Step EDU-Play Programs.  Within one year I had thirty clients.  We now have thirty-six employees providing service to over 200 clients up to 18 years of age. 
EG: What makes Step by Step unique? 
Shelley: Step by Step is an agency that serves both typically developing and special needs children and their families addressing mild to severe disabilities who are at risk developmentally, and children with social/emotional or behavioral needs in their natural environments and on-site. Typically developing children learn about differences, patience, being a role model, lending an extra hand and how to be a good friend to all. Children with special needs learn how to be a kid!  Our programs are designed to maximize community resources, and provide opportunities for children to learn, play, and navigate their social worlds.  Our curriculum is based on current best practices in child development, with an emphasis on relationship and play based theory.  Staff are trained to use total communication techniques, as well as sensory integration applications, to all domains of development.   Just as important, we believe that parent involvement is imperative in order for a child to be successful.   All our parents are invited to attend a monthly parent group, and workshop and training opportunities are periodically offered at no cost.  http://www.stepbystepeduplay.com/index.htm
EG:  How has SBGI changed your life?

Shelley:  It has been so exciting concentrating on the Prenatal and Perinatal period because the focus is on prevention of birth trauma before the child is born.  I have felt incredibly supported by both Dr. Marti Glenn and Dr. B.J. Lyma to create a Prenatal Wellness Center that supports all parents including parents who have children with special needs prepare for their subsequent birth by addressing attachment issues as well as work to resolve anxiety and stress before the birth.  Randi Goodman,  a classmate of mine, and I created The Prenatal Wellness Center including what we call a ‘Womb Room’ in which Randi fathoms the exhibits and I am taking a lead role with the counseling program.       

Interviewer: Ellen Goldstein, MA, graduated from Santa Barbara Graduate Institute with her Masters in Clinical Psychology specializing in Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology.