Transition Planning

This section discusses planning for transitions, the rationale for transition plans, the timeline, and year-round services.

Planning for Transitions

Each IFSP must address the steps (page 9-B) to be taken to prepare for successful change or "transition" to new anticipated agencies, locations for services, providers, funding sources or models/philosophies of service. The most common transitions to be planned and carried out are the transitions from:

a) hospital to home,
b) individual to group services,
c) weekly to daily or daily to less frequent services and
d) home-based to center-based (preschool)
e) biological home to foster care and back
f) moving to a new community (within- or out-of-state)
g) transitioning from an IFSP to an IEP (see comparison of IFSP/IEP)

The Transition Plans should be outlined in the IFSP as soon as an anticipated change in services is considered; there is no need to wait until the next scheduled IFSP meeting. Having no plan or waiting six months to outline a plan could result in unsuccessful and stressful transitions for the child, parents and providers.

Rationale for Transition Plans

Continuity of services is essential to a successful transition. Following are some of the issues which may arise in planning for transitions.

Parents' anxiety about:

• limited information regarding future locations or providers
• opportunity for appropriate type and frequency of services
• parents' inclusion in the decision-making process regarding the transition specifics
• separation from child when going from home to hospital or school
• clarifying parental involvement and role in child's next setting/program
• identifying a key person to contact and with whom to coordinate efforts
  
  

  Traditional Problems in Early Intervention Transitions:

• incompatible schedules
• conflicting philosophies
• overlapping/duplicate forms
• lack of trust/respect for existing assessment information
• differing eligibility criteria
• unclear expectations/assumptions
• different cultures associated with different agencies/staffs
• loss of funding (i.e., waivers, insurance)
  
  

Transition Plans should:

• Ensure continuity of services.
• Minimize disruption of the family system.
• Promote child functioning in the natural environment or least restrictive environment.
• Clarify services coordination before and after.
• Involve planning, preparation, implementation, and evaluation within and between programs and the family.

Time Frames for Successful Transitions:

If the transition is because the child is eligible for preschool services (transitioning from an IFSP to an IEP) a conference is covened at least 90 days prior to the transition. This occurs with the approval of the family and includes team members and the local school district. It may be held up to six months before the child is eligible for preschool services.
If the child may not be eligible for preschool services, efforts should be made to hold a conference for the purpose of discussing other services that might be available.

Year Round Services for Young Children with Disabilities

If we believe that early intervention works, then we need to implement services as soon as the child is identified as having a special needs and family is interested in receiving support and guidance.

School calendars which work only 9 months each year are not conducive to a seamless system of early identification and service and hinder smooth successful transitions from hospital to home or from home-based to center-based (schools) services for preschool age children.

School districts are required to work with staff and community agencies to coordinate a calendar of year-round services in order to minimize the number of transitions a family and child need to make, and encourage cohesive, continuous services for young children and families, Part-time "summer-school" schedules and "extended-year" contracts are not acceptable in birth-to-3 services. Only the child's needs and the family preferences should dictate a reduction in services.