Team Talking Points

1. Use a transdisciplinary approach to working with families. One individual may not be
able to offer the expertise the family/ child needs. This involves sharing information
between professional disciplines so that all team members, including the family, are
working together to teach and learn from each other to meet family and child needs
(UConn).
a. A transdisciplinary approach should be based on the principles that children are
influenced by many developmental domains that influence each other, and Early
intervention is intended to support families and community providers in
facilitating child participation and learning across multiple activity settings
(UConn, p. 119).
2. Child needs: After review of the child’s file and looking for any areas of concern, the
team should discuss any finding and choose a PSP, SSP based on child needs, abilities,
and strengths gained from parent interview, observation, and assessment.
3. Adaptations/ supports: What types of adaptations will the child or family require when
it comes to providing intervention and coaching the family (time, visuals, video)? How
can we adapt the environment to better fit the child’s needs (assistive technology, modify
interactions)?
a. “Child functioning in family and community activity settings can be increased
through adaptations and supports – modifications and additions to the physical
and social environment” (UConn, p. 105). Ensure that any adaptations promote:
development, competence, generalization and participation (UConn, p. 108).
4. Family strengths and supports: Information gained through Ecomap and RBI. How can
we use this information to support the family? Can we use this information to assist in
creating a family-level outcome? What adult learning strategies will be most useful for
the family (videos, coaching, information panphlets)?
a. Remember all families have strengths! “If strengths are not used, they may
weaken or disappear, or individuals feel de-valued for what they could contribute”
which may lead to families feeling helpless or hopeless (UConn, p. 15).
5. Family Needs: Family needs are constantly changing.
a. What does the family need at the given time? Are they experiencing a crisis? How
will this affect the delivery of services/ will they need modified? How can we
modify services to better meet family needs? Can we connect the family with
other community services that may help (job and family services, SNAP)?
6. Dosage of services: Give time for the family to practice strategies and for the child to
make progress in-between visits but remain available if the family requests higher
frequency. It is important to balance the intensity and frequency of visits to see the best
progress in the child (Hanft & Feinberg, 1997).
a. How long will visits last? Children’s needs and family’s strengths and priorities
will help to determine dosage (Kuhn & Marvin, 2015).
b. Where are the services being provided? (home, child care, community) Will we
need to collaborate with other professionals (Day care)?
 c. Developing strategies across settings and routines will enhance a child’s natural
learning opportunities (UConn).
7. IFSP outcome Development: Ensure outcomes are specific, reachable, measurable, and
observable. Can the strategies used for this outcome be generalized throughout routines?
a. Is the outcome meaningful to the family? Are we checking progress towards the
outcome? Does the outcome need to be modified because it was met/ child is not
making progress?
8. Information sharing: Teaming- How often is the team meeting and sharing
information? Are we collaborating efficiently?
a. How will the family be involved (phone call)? How will we share information
with the family?
9. Quality of implementation: Are we using evidence-based practice? Ensure families
understand their rights. Are all team members in agreeance of the structure of the model
being used? Strategies should be contextualized to build upon already occurring natural
learning experiences (UConn, p. 133). Discuss with team the intentional teaching
sequence for outcomes (who will implement strategies, where, with what…).
a. Intervention is provided in the natural environment. Family is coached by PSP on
strategies. Making a joint plan for future visits with family and other team
members if needed. How will we monitor progress?
References:
Hanft, B. E., & Feinberg, E. (1997). Toward the Development of a Framework for Determining

the Frequency and Intensity of Early Intervention Services. Infants & Young

Children, 10(1), 27-37. doi:10.1097/00001163-199707000-00005

Kuhn, M., & Marvin, C. A. (2016). “Dosage” Decisions for Early Intervention Services. Young

Exceptional Children,19(4), 20-34. doi:10.1177/1096250615576807

UConn. (n.d.). Individual Family Service Plan Manual. Retrieved July, 2018, from

https://learn.kent.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-8331368-dt-content-rid-

119486436_1/courses/11683_14844.201860/IFSP Manual Complete 8-9-12(4).pdf