Developing High Quality, Functional IFSP Outcomes Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center Training 1
Developing High Quality, FunctionalIFSP Outcomes
Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center Training
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Training Objectiveso Gain an understanding of the criteria needed to
develop and write high quality, functional, participation-based Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) outcomes
o Rate the quality of the outcomes
Functional Assessment
MeaningfulIFSP Outcomes
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Using Informationto Develop Outcomes
o Start with parents’/caregivers’ priorities about child’s learning/development and/or family’s needs
o Consider what’s working and what’s challenging in everyday routines and activities
o Consider how the child’s developmental skills, needs and disability influence the child’s learning and participation in everyday routines and activities
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Relationship of Outcomesto Placement and Services
First… develop IFSP outcomes based on functional, authentic assessment information
Then… determine placement, services and supports based on what is necessary to meet the outcomes/goals
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Requirements for IFSP Outcomes
IFSP must include:
o A statement of the measurable results or measurable outcomes expected to be achieved for the child and family (including pre-literacy and language skills as developmentally appropriate for the child)
o The criteria, procedures, and timelines used to determine the degree to which progress toward achieving the results or outcomes is being made and whether modifications or revision of the expected results or outcomes or services are necessary
34 CFR §303.344 (c
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IFSP Outcomes
o IFSP Outcomes: “What would your family like to see happen for your child/family?”
o Two types of outcomes
o Child Outcomes
o Family Outcomes
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IFSP Child Outcomes
Two types of child outcomes:
o Participation-based
o Routine/activity-based
Child outcomes should:o Enhance learning through functional participation in everyday
activities (child is learner/actor)
o Be important and meaningful to the family/caregiver (priorities)
o Expand activity settings so child can be competent
o Be based on child’s interests
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IFSP Family Outcomes
Two types of family outcomes:o Participation-based
o Resource-based
Family outcomes should:o Enhance capacity of (family is learner/actor)
o Support accessing community resources and supports (service coordinator supported)
o Be important and meaningful to the family/caregiver (priorities)
o Be based on family’s interests
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Developing IFSP Outcome Statements
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Third Word Rule
• The third word of IFSP child outcome statement should be a contextualized action that is functional.
• Example: “Kim will eat with her family at mealtime eating the foods they eat.”
Shelden, M. L., & Rush, D. D. (2009). Tips and Techniques for Developing Participation-Based IFSP Outcome Statements. Briefcase, 2(1). Retrieved from http://www.fipp.org/Collateral/briefcase/briefcase_vol2_no1.pdf
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IMPORTANT IDEA
IFSP outcomes need to be functional; however, many providers struggle to define what makes an outcome “functional.” When determining if an outcome is functional consider:
o does this outcome support the child’s participation in everyday activities?
o does this outcome support the fundamental belief that children learn best through their participation in everyday activities and routines with familiar people?
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Three skills that are when developing outcomes are:
o the ability to understand how to gather information from families throughout the process
o the ability to conduct a functional assessment that gives a clear picture of the child’s abilities and needs in the child’s natural, everyday settings, activities and routines
o the ability to use the information to develop outcomes
CRITICAL
High-Quality, Functional IFSP Outcomes
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Another important ideaThroughout the process of gathering information from families, special attention should be paid to the information the family shares about what’s working well for them, as well as what is challenging
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High-Quality, Functional IFSP Outcomes
o Necessary and functional for child’s and family’s life
o Reflect real-life contextualized settings
o Crosses developmental domains and is discipline-free
o Jargon-free, clear and simple
o Emphasize the positive, not the negative
o Uses active words rather than passive words
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Criteria DefinitionsNecessary and functional for child’s and
family’s life
• Supports participation in community life and family activities
• Based up on what is important to the family
• Supports child’s progress towards outcomes
It is not based on what the practitioner thinks
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Criteria Definitions
Reflects real-life, contextualized settings
– Everyday activity settings and routines for the child and family
• Includes typical routines such as meal time
• Also includes routines and activities specific to the family.
• Test items are not real-life or contextualized
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Criteria DefinitionsIntegrates developmental domains and is
discipline-freeo Written to describe the child’s participation in routines and
activities
• Promote the child’s skill development in multiple domains
• Addressable by any member of the IFSP team
o Written so that child and family are the “actors”
o Early interventionists and therapists are not the actors in the outcome
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Remember…The outcome should state:
• “Annabelle will help her dad with the laundry by pulling up and standing at the dryer on her own and putting clothes into the laundry basket with her dad close by,"
Rather than
• "Annabelle will pull to a standing position at the couch and maintain her balance."
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Criteria Definitions
Is jargon-free, clear and simple
• Understandable by family and the general public.
Doesn’t include professional jargon or practitioner “speak”
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Remember…The outcome should state:
• “David will reach up and grab the toy when he is playing with his mom” or “Carrie will ask for a cracker when she is having lunch with her family”
Rather than
• “David will increase his “range of motion” or “Carrie will improve her articulation skills”
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Criteria DefinitionsEmphasizes the positive, not
the negative
• Focus of the whole outcome is positive
• States what the child and family will do
o Doesn’t state what the child will not do or will stop doing
• Any negative words creates a negative statement
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Remember…
The outcome should state:
• “Johnny will chew and swallow food when eating with his family”
Rather than
• “Johnny will not spit out food when eating with his family”
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Criteria DefinitionsUses active rather passive words
• Use words (such as eat, play, talk, walk) that encourage a child and family’s active participation
• Words that indicate what the child or family will do
Passive words reflect a state of being or a change or lack of change in performance
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Remember…The outcome should state:
• “Charlotte will sit next to her sister and play with the toys”
• “Abigail will talk with her family during meals”
Rather than
• “Charlotte will tolerate her sister’s presence at playtime”
• “Abigail will increase her communication during meals”
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Developing Child Outcomes
What parent states:
“I wish he could sit without as much
support when he eats and plays – it is
hard work holding him all the time.”
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“Romeo will improve muscle tone for sitting.”
Not This
“Romeo will play with toys and eat meals with his family by
sitting without much support.”
This
Child Outcome: Example
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Developing Family Outcomes
What parent states:
“We want to be able
to take Romeo with us in the car;
we need a travel car seat.”
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“Staff will explore options for financial assistance for car
seats.”
Not This
“Karen and Mark will explore options for
financial assistance for car seats and secure
one.”
This
Family Outcome: Example
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IFSP Outcomes Rating Activity
Now it’s time to check and see how much you learned about understanding of the criteria needed to develop and write high quality, functional, participation-based Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) outcomes.
Download and print a copy of the Worksheet for Rating IFSP outcomes. Please rate each outcome statement by writing “yes” or “no” in each quadrant of the table, based on whether the statement meets each of corresponding criteria.
When you are finished, check your answers by continuing with the PowerPoint
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Lily will go fishing with her family and hold her own pole
Necessary/
Functional
Real-lifeContextua
lSettings
CrossesDomains/Discipline
-Free
Jargon-Free
Positive, Not
Negative
Active, Not
Passive
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Lily will go fishing with her family and hold her own pole
Necessary/
Functional
Real-lifeContextua
lSettings
CrossesDomains/Discipline
-Free
Jargon-Free
Positive, Not
Negative
Active, Not
Passive
Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
This is a participation-based, functional, high-quality IFSP outcome!
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Davis will talk more and pronounce words better
Necessary/
Functional
Real-lifeContextua
lSettings
CrossesDomains/Discipline-
Free
Jargon-Free
Positive, Not
Negative
Active, Not
Passive
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Davis will talk more and pronounce words better
Necessary/
Functional
Real-lifeContextua
lSettings
CrossesDomains/Discipline-
Free
Jargon-Free
Positive, Not
Negative
Active, Not
Passive
Yes No No Yes Yes Yes
Remember to include real-life situations that promote skill acquisition in more than one
developmental domain
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Robin will stop having tantrums at separation from primary caregiver when
going to daycareNecessar
y/Functiona
l
Real-lifeContextu
alSettings
CrossesDomains/Discipline
-Free
Jargon-Free
Positive, Not
Negative
Active, Not
Passive
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Robin will stop having tantrums at separation from primary caregiver when
going to daycareNecessar
y/Functiona
l
Real-lifeContextu
alSettings
CrossesDomains/Discipline
-Free
Jargon-Free
Positive, Not
Negative
Active, Not
Passive
Yes Yes Yes No No Yes
Use “Mom”, “Dad”, or “Grandma” instead of “primary caregiver”, and state the outcome
positively by saying “say goodbye calmly” instead of “stop having tantrums”
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Marcus will play in the backyard getting around on his own using his walker
Necessary/
Functional
Real-lifeContextua
lSettings
CrossesDomains/Discipline
-Free
Jargon-Free
Positive, Not
Negative
Active, Not
Passive
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Marcus will play in the backyard getting around on his own using his walker
Necessary/
Functional
Real-lifeContextua
lSettings
CrossesDomains/Discipline
-Free
Jargon-Free
Positive, Not
Negative
Active, Not
Passive
Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
This is a participation-based, functional, high-quality IFSP outcome!
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Lanesha will gradually stop eating baby food and eat more solid foods
Necessary/
Functional
Real-lifeContextua
lSettings
CrossesDomains/Discipline
-Free
Jargon-Free
Positive, Not
Negative
Active, Not
Passive
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Lanesha will gradually stop eating baby food and eat more solid foods
Necessary/
Functional
Real-lifeContextua
lSettings
CrossesDomains/Discipline
-Free
Jargon-Free
Positive, Not
Negative
Active, Not
Passive
Yes No Yes Yes No Yes
Remember to create an outcome where the child and family can be actively involved in the success of the
outcome through their daily activities or routines. Focus on what you want Lanesha to do-not what you
want her to stop doing.
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Thomas will put up with lying on his stomach for 10 minutes without crying
Necessary/
Functional
Real-lifeContextua
lSettings
CrossesDomains/Discipline
-Free
Jargon-Free
Positive, Not
Negative
Active, Not
Passive
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Thomas will put up with lying on his stomach for 10 minutes without crying
Necessary/
Functional
Real-lifeContextua
lSettings
CrossesDomains/Discipline
-Free
Jargon-Free
Positive, Not
Negative
Active, Not
Passive
No No Yes Yes No No
It would be more functionally appropriate to have activities that encourage to play (i.e.: Thomas will play with toys on the floor rolling, reaching, and grabbing). Again, the focus should be on real-life settings, and the outcome should be framed positively
and actively.
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Ahmet will get to eat what he wants during meals by pointing or looking at the choices
his parents provide
Necessary/
Functional
Real-lifeContextua
lSettings
CrossesDomains/Discipline
-Free
Jargon-Free
Positive, Not
Negative
Active, Not
Passive
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Ahmet will get to eat what he wants during meals by pointing or looking at the choices
his parents provide
Necessary/
Functional
Real-lifeContextua
lSettings
CrossesDomains/Discipline
-Free
Jargon-Free
Positive, Not
Negative
Active, Not
Passive
Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
This is a participation-based, functional, high-quality IFSP
outcome!