ERIC Number: EJ954004
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2011-Dec
Pages: 13
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1096-2506
EISSN: N/A
Empowering Families during the Early Intervention Planning Process
Byington, Teresa A.; Whitby, Peggy J. S.
Young Exceptional Children, v14 n4 p44-56 Dec 2011
Parents play important roles as advocates for their child with a disability. Advocacy is the process of striving to improve the quality of life for someone else. The Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires parents and professionals to work together to design a service delivery plan for children with disabilities. An Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) is developed for children from birth through age 2, and an Individualized Education Program (IEP) is developed for children from 3 through 5 years of age. The IFSP differs from an IEP as the IFSP revolves around the family, targets the natural environment, and provides service coordination of multiple agencies to assist the family. Moving from an IFSP to an IEP can be a challenging and stressful time for parents of children with disabilities as the focus moves from the family to the educational setting. IDEA Parts B and C emphasize the importance of family involvement and family-centered practices for both the IFSP and IEP. This article intends to strengthen the understanding of the importance of family-centered practices during the IFSP or IEP planning process, to present strategies that professionals can use to empower families, and to share ideas on how to convey a personalized view of the child to team members. (Contains 3 tables and 2 figures.)
Descriptors: Individualized Family Service Plans, Individualized Education Programs, Family Involvement, Disabilities, Parents, Federal Legislation, Educational Legislation, Cooperative Planning, Parent Role, Parent Attitudes, Satisfaction
SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: http://sagepub.com
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Early Childhood Education
Audience: Practitioners
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Laws, Policies, & Programs: Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A