The Individual Family Services Plan (IFSP), is a written treatment plan that maps out the Early Intervention (EI) services the child will receive, as well as how and when these services will be administered. It details the child’s current levels of functioning, specific needs and goals for treatment (referred to as outcomes).

The IFSP takes a family-based approach to services, due to the central concept that supporting a child’s family lends itself to supporting the child. This means that the IFSP is developed with input from the child’s entire family, and it includes features that are designed to support the entire family.

Although IDEA is a federal law, each state implements its own Early Intervention programs. Specific regulations and procedures vary from state to state; the required time frames for implementing the IFSP can differ. Check with the your state education agency for more information on state-specific procedures regarding the IFSP.

Who Develops the IFSP?

Once the child is deemed eligible for services under the state’s Early Intervention criteria, an IFSP team will meet to develop the treatment plan. The compositions of IFSP teams vary, depending on the child’s specific needs. For example, the team might include a:

• psychiatrist,
• neurologist,
• occupational therapist (OT),
• physical therapist (PT),
• speech-language pathologist (SLP),
• or other professionals.

The parents and other family members are important members of the IFSP team because they understand the child and his or her needs best. A family advocate and a service coordinator from the Early Intervention program may also be present at the IFSP meeting. The timeline for development for an IFSP is 30 days from the determination of eligibility.

How is the IFSP Written?

Tips for parents

Before the IFSP can be written, the team must gather all relevant information. The evaluations that the child underwent will be immensely helpful in this process. In addition, the parents and other family members will likely be asked about the daily routines of the household, the challenges that the child faces and the family’s goals for the child’s development.

The family should also communicate the challenges that they face as a whole. For example, they should express to the IFSP team about issues such as child care, their need for transportation to services and any training that might benefit the family.

Throughout the entire Early Intervention process, the family must keep comprehensive written records. Family members should brainstorm about the child’s challenges and goals for their development, and take notes during the conversation. The family should bring these notes and a list of questions to IFSP meetings, and be sure to take plenty of notes or use a voice recorder during these meetings.

Some parents create large binders filled with meeting notes, progress reports and notes about how the IFSP might be improved. For instance, whenever the parent takes a phone call from a member of the IFSP team, they make a note of the date, the person they talked to and the subject matter discussed. If a member of the IFSP team suggests that the child might benefit from a certain service or from extended services, parents should have that person put it in writing and provide them with a copy. These records will be critical should a dispute ever arise.

What are the Components of the IFSP?

Every IFSP must contain certain key components. Every education agency should have the state-specific guidelines. The elements that can be found in IFSPs in any state include:

• People and Organizations Involved: The IFSP will list the name of the Early Intervention service coordinator who is working with the family. It may list the professionals who will provide services, as well as the organizations or people who are responsible for paying for services.
• Current Levels of Functioning: The IFSP will spell out the child’s current levels of functioning. This might include any medical conditions the child has and the results from vision and hearing exams. It might also include cognitive assessments, and information on the child’s communication abilities and social development.
• Family Information: Information about the family is an important component of the IFSP. This might include details about the family’s priorities, concerns and the strengths and needs of the family and child.
• Services: The specific services that the child will receive will be listed in detail. For example, the family’s IFSP might state that Johnny will receive speech therapy for apraxia with Miss Jones in one-hour sessions twice per week. If the parent believes that their child requires additional help, they could negotiate for additional sessions or longer sessions. If the IFSP team dismisses the parent request, the parent might consider having the child evaluated by an independent professional who can provide a written opinion regarding the child’s needs.
• Outcomes: Outcomes, or goals, are a critical component of the IFSP. They must be relevant, specific and measurable. These are not achievement goals for the child’s entire life; rather, they are short-term goals. The services that are provided will work toward these outcomes. Here are some examples of IFSP outcomes:
  • Johnny will grip his sippy cup, raise it to his mouth and drink without assistance.
  • Johnny will use his picture exchange communication system (PECS) to communicate his desires for food, drink, potty and nap-time.
  • Johnny will articulate the “b” sound in the initial position (at the beginning of a word).

After the IFSP: What are the Next Steps?

By law, the IFSP team must meet to review the treatment plan every six months. The purpose is to determine whether updates, such as new outcomes, are needed. The parent may request an additional review at any time if they feel the IFSP is not serving their child’s best interests, or if there has been a major change or event in their child’s life (such as hospitalization).

Prior to the child’s third birthday, the IFSP team will meet to form a transition plan. It may be determined that the child has progressed to the point at which they are no longer eligible for services. If the child still needs help, a plan will be developed to transition into an individualized education program (IEP) upon the child’s third birthday.