Module III: IFSP outcomes in natural environments
Unit 2 Lesson 1: The child's present level of development and unique strengths and needs
(Recall from the last unit: The basic procedures, components, and processes of the IFSP were explained. This unit will explain the process of bringing together the family information and needs to write the various sections of an IFSP.)
Completing the present level of development component of the IFSP helps the team to understand the child in all areas of development and to develop outcomes. On the Missouri IFSP, the child’s present level of development is documented in the section titled “Child’s Present Abilities and Strengths: Team Summary” (as seen below) When the present level of development is referred to in this module, it is in reference to this section of the IFSP.
This is the summary portion of the IFSP – the form above is found on page 19 with the instructions on pages 5 and 6 of the Practice Manual for completing the form. You should read this form now. Follow this link to go to the Practice Manual IFSP section then review pages 5 and 6 and 19. This form and the instructions are in Chapter 7 - Individualized Family Service Plan Development.
(For complete access to the Practice Manual go to http://dese.mo.gov/divspeced/FirstSteps/EISpracmanual.html )
For the present level of development for the IFSP keep in mind:
- Be accurate, clear, objective, and detailed.
- Be free of jargon and terms that are subject to misinterpretation.
- Be readable by families and other professionals.
- Contain content that reflects the function for which it is intended to be used.
- Function as a means to communicate with other team members and professionals,
- including family members, specifying the best estimation of a child’s abilities at a given point.
- Serve as a record against which later performance can be compared.
At this point in the process the team is synthesizing a report about the child’s development in all domains. This should include both strengths and weaknesses.
The summary of a child’s present level of development also should provide information about a child’s abilities, strengths, and needs. Part C has particular regulations for identifying a child’s unique strengths and needs.
It is important for team members to remember that the IFSP outcomes are developed by supporting the family in understanding their child’s strengths and by building from those strengths to address the family’s outcomes and the child’s needs.
The instructions for this section of the IFSP state that it is important to be positive and to talk about the child’s skills and how these apply in daily living situations. This summary must include all developmental domains. It should indicate what the child can do (that is, the child’s emerging skills and interests) and what the child needs to learn. It is recommended that the family develop this section prior to the IFSP meeting and then have it reviewed and expanded by the full IFSP team at the IFSP meeting.
The present level of development includes objective information about the following areas of a child’s development: physical (including vision, hearing, and health), cognitive, communication (receptive and expressive) speech and language, social emotional, and adaptive/self-help skills.
Review questions:
1. Which of the following is not listed in a child's present level of development - physical development, communication development, social or emotional development, adaptive development, or linguistic development? (hint: look on page 5 of the Practice Manual.)
2. Why is Section 4 of the IFSP rewritten at each review meeting?
3. What should be completed on Section 4 before any addtitional assessments are planned or conducted?
4. Does Section 4 need to contain all the developmental domains?
5. Section 4 must contain notes on health, vision, nutrition and what two other categories?
Reflection questions:
1. The present level of development is the agreed upon picture of the child. It is readable by those that it is intended for, including the family, child care providers, and support specialists that may work with the child. How does this view differ from the medical model that stresses collection of measurable data about the child?
2. What is collected besides data that might indicate a child’s needs?
3. Each participant on the IFSP team, including the family, comes prepared to discuss his or her observations of the child’s current development and to synthesize those into one statement. Why is the family an important team member?
4. Identifying only a child’s needs is discouraging to families and is a needs-based approach rather than a strengths-based approach. Identifying only strengths doesn’t give the IFSP team enough information to know what the next steps are for the child. Why is the need to collect strengths so important? (Hint: Will strengths play a role in delivering services in the families natural environment?)
5. A balance of strengths and needs must be discovered to develop outcomes that use the child’s strengths and needs to guide interventions. When dealing with children it is important to see them as an individual and as part of a family. Why does the complete IFSP profile of the child need to be documented, rather than just the challenges, as in the medical model?
Return to the main page for Module III: IFSP outcomes in natural environments
If you have a question about this module please check the Q & A pages. If you still have a question after reviewing the Q & A pages please send an email to: webreplyspefs@dese.mo.gov or call 573.751.0187