INDIVIDUALIZED FAMILY SERVICE PLANS

IFSP: The Process and Plan

Each eligible child has an Individualized Family Service Plan, or IFSP, which is both a process and a written plan intended to assist families and professionals to meet the developmental needs of a child from birth to age three. When developing an IFSP, the team, which includes the parents, must give careful consideration to the child’s and family’s strengths, needs, and interests.

Types of IFSPs

IFSP teams meet to develop different types of IFSPs including, initial, periodic, annual, and interim IFSPs.

IFSP Teams

An IFSP team is a group of individuals who come together to develop, review and revise a child’s IFSP. Each member of an IFSP team, including the parents, has clearly defined roles and responsibilities, as well as special expertise about the child and/or the early intervention services which could benefit the child and family.

Contents of IFSPs

When developing an IFSP, the IFSP team must: 

• Identify a child’s present levels of development;
• Establish outcomes, sometimes called goals, for the child;
• Determine how progress towards the outcomes will be monitored; and
• Determine the early intervention services and supports necessary to meet the child’s and family’s unique needs.

The IFSP team will focus on providing services in the child’s natural environment and will make plans for transition out of Early ACCESS when the child turns three years old.