IFSP

 Collaboration  Process  Flowchart  Narrative  

Initial  Meeting  
• Explain  Early  Intervention  Services    
o Give  and  explain  the  Early  Intervention  Brochure  
§ Explain  Evidence-­‐Based  Practices  
§ Explain  Natural  Environments    
§ Explain  the  Coaching  interaction  style  
§ Give  a  brief  description  on  the  IFSP  process  (eligibility,  assessment,  
need  for  services,  IFSP  meeting)  
o Give  and  explain  the  Parents  Rights  Brochure  
§ Explain  that  it  is  a  voluntary  program  
§ Explain  that  they  have  the  right  to  request  an  evaluation  and  the  right  
to  request  a  different  evaluation  if  they  do  not  agree  with  the  results.  
§ Explain  they  have  the  right  to  get  all  information  in  writing  
§ Explain  the  right  to  have  an  IFSP  
§ Explain  the  right  to  keep  all  information  confidential  
§ Explain  the  rights  to  have  services  in  natural  environments.  
§ Explain  the  Grievance  Policy  
o Obtain  Informed  Consent  
§ Explain  the  45-­‐day  time  line  
o Complete  Screenings  (if  applicable)  
§ PEACH  
§ HMG  Hearing  Status  Questionnaire  
§ Taking  a  Look!  Vision  Screening  
§ Any  other  screenings  that  would  be  helpful  to  gather  information  
(ASQ-­‐3,  ASQ:SE-­‐2,  MCHAT,  etc.)    
o Gather  birth/medical  history  
§ Prematurity,  complications  with  pregnancy/birth,  diagnosis,  etc.  
• Answer  any  questions  the  parents  may  and  have  throughout  the  discussion  and  
check  for  their  understanding.  
• Build  Rapport  with  the  family  during  this  initial  meeting  by  respecting  the  family’s  
culture  and  values,  be  an  active  listener,  and  remain  nonjudgmental  (University  of  
Connecticut  Center  for  Excellence  in  Developmental  Disabilities,  2013).      
• Explain  the  next  steps,  and  that  the  family  is  a  key  component  of  the  Early  
Intervention  Team.  
 
Team  Meeting  
§ Invite  the  family  to  attend  the  team  meeting  (in  person,  via  phone,  ect),  so  they  can  
be  a  part  of  the  team  discussion.  
§ Share  information  gathered  to  the  Core  EI  Team  (Service  Coordinator,  Occupational  
Therapist,  Physical  Therapist,  Speech-­‐Language  Pathologist,  etc.).  
§ After  sharing  the  information  gathers  the  team  (including  parents)  choose  who  the  
best  fit  would  be  to  complete  the  evaluation/assessments.  
 
 
 
IFSP  Collaboration  Process  Flowchart  Narrative  
Eligibility  
§ If  the  child  has  a  diagnosed  medical  condition  that  could  lead  to  a  delay  in  
development,  talk  with  the  parent  to  gain  the  name  and  contact  information  for  
the  child’s  pediatrician.  Get  Release  of  Information  from  the  parent,  and  contact  
the  pediatrician  to  gather  documentation  of  the  disability.  
§ If  the  child  does  not  have  a  diagnosed  disability,  the  evaluation  team  should  
work  with  the  family  to  schedule  the  evaluation  (take  into  consideration  the  
preferences  of  the  family  on  time,  location,  etc.  When  scheduling,  the  evaluation  
should  be  explained  again  to  the  parent,  and  answer  any  questions  they  may  
have  
Assessment  
§ Talk  with  the  family  to  schedule  the  assessments  at  a  time  and  location  that  is  
convenient  with  them.    
§ Family  Assessment:    
o Eco-­‐map    
§ The  Service  Coordinator/  Service  Provider  will  meet  with  the  family  
to  complete  the  family  assessment.  Having  a  conversation  with  the  
family  to  determine  the  informal  and  formal  supports  the  family  has,  
and  the  type  of  relationship  the  family  has  with  these  supports  should  
completed  by  the  Echo-­‐Map.    EI  should  strive  to  encourage  and  
facilitate  the  existing  support  networks  of  each  family  (University  of  
Connecticut  Center  for  Excellence  in  Developmental  Disabilities,  
2013).      
o Routines-­‐Based  Interview  (RBI)  
§ The  RBI  allows  the  EI  assessment  team  to  gather  information  about  
the  family’s  day-­‐to-­‐day  life.  It  is  a  natural  conversation  with  the  family  
that  describes  the  family’s  every  day  routines.  It  allows  the  team  to  
elicit  information  about  the  child’s  level  of  engagements,  
independence,  and  social-­‐relationships  in  each  routine.  You  have  the  
family  rate  each  routine  on  a  scale  of  1-­‐5  (Horrible-­‐Terrific)  and  
gather  information  about  what  would  make  that  routine  better  for  the  
family.  At  the  end  of  the  assessment,  you  list  out  all  of  the  areas  of  
need  that  the  family  has  identified  and  you  have  them  prioritize  the  
needs.  This  information  is  helpful  when  creating  functional  outcomes  
with  the  family.  
§ Active  listening  is  crucial!  
§ Child  Assessment:    
o The  EI  assessment  team  completes  the  functional  child  assessment  by  
utilizing  curriculum-­‐based  assessment  tools,  observation,  and  information  
gathered  from  the  family.    The  assessment  team  should  complete  the  
assessment  overtime  in  multiple  activity  settings  (i.e.  Playtime  at  daycare,  
meal  time  with  families,  etc.)  It  is  helpful  if  the  EI  Team  can  gather  
information  from  multiple  caregivers  (i.e.  parents,  grandparents,  child  care  
providers,  ect.).  With  consent  from  the  family,  EI  team  should  invite  
members  of  the  community  who  interact  on  a  regular  basis  with  the  child  to  
participate  in  the  assessment  process.    
IFSP  Collaboration  Process  Flowchart  Narrative  
o Observation  is  essential  in  understanding  the  child’s  functioning  (University  
of  Connecticut  Center  for  Excellence  in  Developmental  Disabilities,  2013).      
 
Sharing  Assessment  Information/  Choosing  the  Family’s  Primary  Service  Provider  
§ Invite  the  family  to  attend  the  team  meeting  where  the  assessment  information  will  
be  shared.    
§ Share  the  family  concerns  and  priorities,  the  child’s  strengths,  preferences,  interests,  
and  needs  with  the  team.    
§ Have  a  discussion  with  the  team  to  determine  which  service  provider(s)  should  
attend  the  IFSP  meeting.  
 
Schedule  the  IFSP  Meeting  
§ Call  the  family  to  schedule  the  IFSP  meeting.  Explain  the  IFSP  meeting  and  the  
parent’s  role.  Inform  the  family  that  she  may  invite  whomever  they  chose  to  the  
IFSP  Meeting.  
§ Send  Prior  Written  Notification  of  IFSP  Meeting  to  the  family,  service  provider,  and  
any  other  members  the  family  has  wished  to  invite.    
 
IFSP  Meeting  
§ Review  the  assessment  information,  including  the  parent’s  concerns  and  priorities.  
§ Write  functional/measureable  outcomes  with  the  family.  
§ Identify  the  strategies  to  meet  the  outcomes.  
§ Determine  the  services  needed  to  meet  the  outcome,  along  with  the  frequency  and  
duration.    
§ Answer  and  questions  the  family  has!  
§ Obtain  consent  by  having  the  parent  sign  the  IFSP.  
 
Transition  
§ 9-­‐12  months  before  the  child’s  third  birthday,  the  EI  team  should  discuss  with  the  
family  who  they  would  like  to  invite  to  the  Transition  Planning  Conference.  The  
service  coordinator  should  issue  invitations  to  the  agencies  identified.  
§ 3-­‐9  months  before  the  child’s  third  birthday,  a  Transition  Planning  Conference  
should  be  held  with  any  potential  service  providers  as  part  of  the  IFSP  Meeting.  The  
EI  team  collaborates  with  the  family  to  identify  transition  goals  and  outcomes  for  
the  child  and  family.  
§ 2-­‐8  months  before  the  child’s  third  birthday,  the  implementation  of  the  transition  
activities  should  occur.  
§ 1-­‐3  months  before  the  child’s  third  birthday,  official  referral  for  services  should  
occur  (Rous,  2009).    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
IFSP  Collaboration  Process  Flowchart  Narrative  
 
References  
 
Rous,  B.  (2009,  October,  23).  How  can  we  put  it  all  together?  Linking  evidence-­‐based  
 
  practices  with  transition  requirements.  [Webinar  4].  National  Early    
 
  Childhood  Transition  Center  .  University  of  Kentucky.    
 
University  of  Connecticut  Center  for  Excellence  in  Developmental  Disabilities.  (2013).    
                         
  Individual  family  service  plan  manual.  The  University  of  Connecticut  A.J.    
 
  Pappanikou  Center  Excellence  in  Developemtnal  Disabilities  Education,    
 
  Research  and  Services.