Class members are required to develop a project which:
(1) demonstrates skills in interviewing and assessing family strength and needs, and
(2) develops strategies for building parent-professional partnerships that can then be incorporated in the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP)
This interview should be viewed as an opportunity to listen to the family story as well as an opportunity to practice your skills in family interviewing and assessment. The purpose of listening to families is to gain a comprehensive view of the needs and strengths of the family as a basis for providing individualized and relevant support to the family. The product of the interview will be a typewritten report synthesizing information.
Due to the impact of COVID19 it may be more difficult to find a family to interview. I have included three recorded interviews that you may use. The same directions should be followed if using the prerecorded interview. You should take notes which should be attached to your Family Report and should be used to create goals for the IFSP.
You must use the following questions in your interview (these questions have been included in the prerecorded interview).
When was your child’s disability initially suspected?
Please discuss who brought it to the parents’ attention. If it was the parent who first suspected it, what was the cause for this suspicion?
Please share your experience with the initial testing process. Also be sure to discuss the child’s experience, as well as how it may have changed during additional testing over time.
What was your level of involvement during the IFSP development? Be sure to discuss thoughts on how the process could be changed (if applicable).
Please share with me the various forms of therapy, treatment, and support that you and your child have received over time.
How would you describe the relationships with the various service providers? Be sure to include the ability to have your needs understood and met by service providers
Discuss both the joys and frustrations that you have experienced with your child.
How has the fact that your child has a disability affected others in your immediate family? Be sure to focus on the siblings, spouse, grandparents.
How has this experience affected the establishment and maintenance of friendships that the child has had over time?
The project consists of the following steps:
Step 1: Attach the notes from the interview to your Family Report. (This must be done for the live and prerecorded video)
Step 2: Write the Family report. This paper should synthesize the information you obtain from the family interview (either the recorded or live interview).
The report should be five to seven, double-spaced pages.
The paper should use the family systems approach to develop recommendations for a parent-professional partnership.
Structure the paper so that each of the following components is addressed in order:
Family characteristics
Family interaction
Family functions
Recommendations
Step 3: Write an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) Write an IFSP (see last page) based on the family’s stated and observed priorities, the roles of intervention staff and families, and expected outcomes.
Limit your plan to FOUR family outcomes (using the format which starts with “The family will…”).
The plan will be designed using “recommended practices” for collaborative family involvement, with attention to the family system.
Remember this is not a school-based IEP it is an IFSP based on family collaborative supports.
REMEMBER TO ATTACH THE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS AND NOTES TO YOUR FAMILY REPORT.
