Be sure to visit our IFSP webpage to see how these services fit into the IFSP process.
What types of services are possible in the IFSP?
Every Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) is unique, with services tailored to the individual needs of the child and their family. Service providers are a vital part of the IFSP team who can help determine your child’s needs and what outcomes best support the child and family.
The IFSP must list the services and providers that address the family’s top priorities and the child’s needs. Because every IFSP is individualized, services will vary from child to child, reflecting each family’s unique priorities and needs.
Services could include:
- family training or counseling
- specialized instruction
- speech therapy
- physical therapy
- occupational therapy
- developmental therapy
- social work
- assistive technology
How do you decide what services belong in the IFSP?
The Present Level statement in the IFSP describes the child’s current abilities and skills. Knowing where the child is at currently helps the team to set goals for the next milestones.
Your Service Coordinator can explain the variety of different services. The IFSP process starts by looking at the Present Level. It describes the child’s current abilities and skills. It should paint a clear picture of how the child’s strengths and challenges across all areas of development affect their ability to participate in family and community life, including daily routines.
By sharing a complete picture of the child, you help determine the most appropriate supports.
How are services documented in the IFSP?
The IFSP must clearly list all services and identify who is providing them. The IFSP explains how families can contact those providers. This is important if concerns arise or services change.
The supports and services that the child and family receive should be detailed by:
- the frequency of services (how many days or sessions they will be provided)
- the length of each session
- the service delivery method (whether services are delivered directly, through consultation, in person, or virtually)
- the intensity (whether services are provided individually or in a group)
- the location where services will take place (with services delivered in the natural environment whenever possible or include a justification if they are not)
Family Rights and the IFSP
Families have the right to accept or decline services. Families have the right to accept or decline any service without affecting their child’s eligibility for other services. Parents may withdraw consent for one or more services at any time.
If a needed service is not currently available—for example, if a provider is on medical leave—the IFSP must include steps to secure that service.
What timelines are there for the IFSP?
Frequent review of the IFSP assists in guiding future plans, specific actions, and discussions about old and new priorities. The IFSP can be revised any time there is a need. If things are not working out or there is a new need, you should contact your service coordinator to talk about your concerns. Team members can also raise a new concern or need, but the parent determines whether the new concern/need becomes an IFSP priority. If the concern/need is a priority for the family, then a change to the IFSP must be made.
- More on IFSP Meetings
