Understanding Risk: Implications for Tracking High‐Risk Infants and Making Early Service Delivery Decisions

Abstract

THIS PAPER EXAMINES current conceptualizations of risk and discusses ways in which identification and tracking of infants and children at‐risk might be accomplished. Models that have been developed for identifying and tracking children at‐risk are reviewed and the concepts of vulnerability and resiliency, as they relate to risk, are considered. Implications of the ways in which we define risk and develop tracking programs are considered.