Determining
Team Services for Each Outcome
 The
team can now embark on a discussion
of family and professional resources that will be
used in the next 6 months. Knowing the family's
and child's needs and available strengths and resources,
they can also discuss how those services will be scheduled
and coordinated to achieve each targeted outcome.
These
plans will be simple 2-3 sentences that "tell the
story" of what will be done to achieve each
outcome in words the family can understand. They will
address who will do what, where, how often.
They will also include mention of how the team
(family and professionals) will measure accomplishments
of each outcome. Each of the following aspects needs
to be recorded on each Outcome
page (7a).
Who: Whenever possible this should include the
parents and/or care providers as agents or recipients
of services.
For
Example : "Parent will ..., Child care provider
will... Speech Pathologist will meet with child care
provider..., Service Coordinator will assist parent
in...., Health nurse will demonstrate to parent....,
SLP and Teacher will coordinate and alternate visits....."
What:
Verbs should be used to clearly describe what action
will take place.
For
Example : "demonstrate for parents....., inquire
about....., coordinate team for....., call and reserve......,
observe and give feedback on........., encourage independent
reaching....., create opportunities for child to........."
Where:
Natural environments should be used as the
first choice of location and activities if at all
possible. (For more information on natural environments,
you may want to review the material by the University
of Wisconsin Waisman
Center Early Intervention Program. You may use
your browsers 'BACK' button to return to the IFSPWeb.)
By
federal law, natural environments "include the
home and community settings in which children without
disabilities participate" (34CFR 303.12(b)).
Furthermore,
each state participating in IDEA, Part C must ensure
that, "the provision of early intervention services
for any infant or toddler occurs in a setting other
than a natural environment only if early intervention
cannot be achieved satisfactorily for the infant or
toddler in a natural environment" (34CFR 303.167(c)).
Finally,
each IFSP must include a statement of the natural
environments to be used, and a "justification
of the extent, if any, to which services will not
be provided in a natural environment" (34CFR
303.344(d)(ii)).
For
Example : "at the child care setting during
lunch ...., in the family home....., at the grandparents
home....., at the child's preschool....., at the clinic.......,
during hospital visits......, during mealtimes....,
during play at the park...., during mom-tot swimming
lessons...., during transitions in and out of chairs,
car, bed, etc......"
How
Often: Frequency of services should be indicated
in terms of days or hours per month or week and specify
duration if not assumed to be year long.
For
Example : "weekly visits for the next month
then monthly visits until family and PT are satisfied
with ......, for a minimum of 6 hours monthly.......,
twice-weekly clinic visits for at least one month
then monthly observations and consultations at the
home or baby-sitter's home....... two appointments
in the next month....."
Measure
of Accomplishments: How will the family and the
team members know whether the outcome is achieved,
when to decrease or eliminate services or to address
the target for longer or in a new way come the next
IFSP review? The measure of accomplishment can be
based on parent and/or professional satisfaction and
opinion, but should always be a functional/practical
measure. Discreet quantitative measures (how frequently,
how long, how much) are helpful only for suggesting
stability of the outcome; not all outcomes are conducive
to quantitative measures.
For
Example: "until the child can reach for toys
and objects without someone holding his hips....,
parents will indicate when they have found a support
group they enjoy attending....., eating with only
initial gagging on first spoonful for at least four
meals in a week...., sleeping through three nights
in a row...., use of at least one new word each week
for 3-4 weeks....."
These
service plans are written on each IFSP Outcome page
7a. For example:
SAMPLE
Descriptions of Plans
The teacher and OT will coordinate
home visits, together or independently (up to 8
hours monthly) with home-health nurse to explore
play activities for Kerrey. Parent and day care
provider will report satisfaction in playing with
Kerry and the nurse will report good breathing during
these activities over two visits to determine outcome
accomplishment.
----------------------------------------
SLP
will provide family with education/information about
early vocal and non-vocal communication development
through some written material and meetings weekly
for the next month. SLP and teacher will coordinate
home visits with the family (up to 6 hours total
each month) to provide help and guidance for getting
and then responding to clearer signals from Kerrey.
SLP's observation and parents' reports of at least
six new signals in the next six months will be indication
of success.
---------------------------------------
Teacher
and Baby-sitter to meet 1X/monthly at sitter's house
to demo and practice techniques for reaching. Three
reports of Doug's independent reaching and grasping
at home and at baby-sitter's = success.
-----------------------------------------
WHO:
Mom, Dad, PT or OT
WHAT: discuss plans for dad's construction
of equipment or purchase; monitor use of new equipment
WHERE: in the home
WHEN: for the next 3 months FREQUENCY: 2X/mo
HOW TO MEASURE SUCCESS?: parent satisfaction
with Kerry's feeding, bathing, play and travel positioning.
-----------------------------------------
PT
will meet 2X monthly with parents in the home and
2-3X monthly with teachers at the child care center
to monitor, demonstrate and provide feedback to
adults on their facilitation of Joshua's movement
and the use of equipment and the child's positioning.
PT's notation of acceptable handling and the adults'
report of satisfaction during a 4 week period will
be indication of success.
-----------------------------------------
OT
or Teacher will facilitate self-help skills through
direct and consultative contacts with parents at
home monthly.
-----------------------------------------
Mother
will contact clinic to schedule hearing exam in
next month.
| 
