The IFSP is an Individualized Family Service Plan.
After you qualify and get assigned a Service Coordinator, the next step is to create this plan for your child. You will get a written invitation, and then schedule the meeting to fill out the form and create the IFSP.
This document that says what services your child and your family will get. It is your document, and reflects your concerns and goals for your child.
What you should know about the IFSP:
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You will meet with the EI service coordinator, and maybe others, to create this together.
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It will include your goals (outcomes), and the services that will help you and your child to reach them.
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It is very flexible! You and the team will review it at least every 6 months and make changes as needed. But you can ask to review it and make changes anytime you want.
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It is a legal document, so there are rules about timelines, giving consent for changes, and providing the services it outlines. (See the section on your legal rights for more about these rules)
Click on the box below to learn more about the form:
The IFSP form describes the EI services your child and family will get.
It includes these sections:
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Family Page: Describes your child's and your family's strengths, concerns and priorities.
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Developmental Profile: Describes your child's health and development, as found in the evaluation.
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Child & Family Outcomes and Strategies: Describes your goals (outcomes) for your child and family, and the kinds of teaching and learning that will help you reach them.
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Service Delivery Plan: Lists the kinds of services you will get, when and where they will happen, and who will provide them. These may include home visits from specialists, community playgroups or parent support groups.
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Transition Plan: Outlines the activities that will help your child to get used to a new setting when they turn 3.
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Annual Signature Page: You will have to sign the IFSP before services start, and every year after re-evaluating.
Click on the link at the bottom of the page to download a sample copy of an IFSP form. The form from your EI program may look a little different, but it will include the same sections.
Source: MA DPH
Sources: MA DPH, EOHHS