Comments on: Guiding Parents during IFSP Development

By: bailee

bailee — Wed, 26 Oct 2022 03:35:14 +0000

Hi Dana!
I enjoyed reading your post! If I were a service coordinator I would want to choose the option that made the family and child feel heard and supported. I think it can be difficult to juggle which options are right whenever there are so many factors affecting the child and the family, but no matter what making sure the family feels respected, heard, and supported is the number one goal.

By: Devin Rosssman

Devin Rosssman — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 21:01:30 +0000

If I were one of the service coordinators for this family I would follow option 2. It might be the more time intensive path, but I think it will be the most beneficial one for the family. If Jeremiah is improving but in areas that don’t affect his daily life, or are not used in his routine often this might provide little comfort or alleviation for the parents. The service coordinator needs to not only worry about the child but also the family as the home environment greatly affects the child. Will needs to build a repertoire with Malvika so as she feels comfortable voicing her opinions, concerns, and thoughts. Coordinators are simply tools used to help support the child and the family who will do most of the heavy lifting in the long run.

By: Ana Rodriguez

Ana Rodriguez — Mon, 24 Oct 2022 16:19:22 +0000

This is such an informative post. If I were Will or one of the other service providers, I would take as much time as necessary to ensure that Malika feels comfortable and heard. Like someone mentioned, flexibility is so important, even if it means not creating any IFSP outcomes at the first meeting. Malika needs to know that she is just as much a member of the team as the service providers, and taking the time to understand her stress and emotions will be so beneficial to everyone. If I were Will, I would have a conversation with her about the difficulties of this process and just make sure that she feels heard and seen. I would tell her that her opinions and needs are so important and that the team wants to do everything they can to incorporate those into the IFSP.

By: Emily Galo

Emily Galo — Wed, 23 Mar 2022 03:56:11 +0000

Hi Dana!
Thank you for writing such an informative post. If I were one of the service coordinators for this family, I would lean towards option two. The IFSP must involve the family to ensure positive results, the IFSP must center around Malika’s routine with Jeremiah which could only be provided through communication with Malika. Will has to try to reinforce Malika and try to involve her by emphasizing the collaborative relationship needed to help Jeremiah.

By: Ethan Rodriguez

Ethan Rodriguez — Wed, 23 Mar 2022 03:19:16 +0000

I ultimately believe a parent should be comfortable throughout the process without any hesitation in their choices. I would follow option 2 and give Malika the time and patience that is needed so that we can both tread through the plan carefully as she knows her routines on a day to day basis better than myself and those around me. The silence itself from Malika should be considered a red flag in will’s eyes since a parent should never go quiet about what they believe is best for their child.

By: Richard T Tran

Richard T Tran — Wed, 23 Mar 2022 01:32:19 +0000

If I were in Will’s position, I would go with the second option and proceed after Malika has the support she needs to d so. I would definitely check in with her and give her an opportunity to process the results of the assessment before jumping into the IFSP development too quickly. Going back and evaluating Malika’s priorities also helps refocus the purpose of the IFSP back to Malika and her family’s needs and wants.

By: Janelly

Janelly — Tue, 22 Mar 2022 23:28:44 +0000

If I were one of the service providers, I would choose option 2. The family is an integral part when it comes to developing an IFSP and would help personalize the IFSP to be helpful and effective for the family. It is understandable that the parent may feel overwhelmed throughout the process and therefore it is important as a service provider to check in and provide support periodically and before diving into the IFSP planning. By doing this the parent will hopefully then feel supported and will be able to proceed in the process and feel comfortable discussing options for their child and advocating for them.

By: Alejandra Rosales

Alejandra Rosales — Tue, 22 Mar 2022 20:55:55 +0000

Suggestions I would have would definitely be to allow for the parent to process all of the information that was given to them during this meeting. Although it is helpful, often times parents become overwhelmed with all of the resources and their purpose. In addition, I would try and rephrase certain things with common phrases to ease the parent’s concerns regarding how to be involved with making decisions for their IFSP outcomes. As stated in the article, accomplishing even the creation of two outcomes should be a clear sign of accomplishment expressed to the parent.
It is easy to say that if I were Will, I would revert to the second option and being much more sensitive regarding the process, however sometimes this solution is not proposed as obviously as the interaction with a parent is taking place. Therefore, I appreciate this scenario and ideas to keep in mind, if I were to find myself in such an occurrence.

By: Emily Swinney

Emily Swinney — Tue, 22 Mar 2022 20:05:17 +0000

Hi Dana!

I’m glad you wrote about this issue because it is very likely that parents will get overwhelmed in this process. It can also be uncomfortable for providers because you don’t want to push the parent too far or overwhelm them further, but you also want them to be involved and understand her opinions are just as valuable as the other team members. Like you said, I think the first thing I would do before starting the IFSP would be to check in with Malika after the assessment. See what she is thinking about, her worries and if she is willing and able to start developing the IFSP in that moment. Malika may need time to think about new information she received in the assessment summary and maybe revaluate what is most important to her and her family in regards to goals they have. From that point, she may want to jump in, but she might not and that is ok. The family is the priority in each step of the ECI process, especially during IFSP development. Also, if they proceed to move forward, I would want to continually refer back to her and ask her opinion so she stays involved and engaged in the process.

By: Alexa Castro

Alexa Castro — Mon, 21 Mar 2022 03:09:31 +0000

Hi Dana! Thank you for writing an informative blog post. The suggestions you have are spot-on for what to do in this situation. The option I would choose if I was Will is option 2. If the team takes over and Malika has no input, it is not a true IFSP. The IFSP should center around Malika’s goals and routines that she already has with Jeremiah. Will has to sit down with Malika to make her comfortable with this transition as it can be a difficult time. However, he has to reassure Malika that they are there to work with her and for Jeremiah to reach his full potential.