Integrating the Child Outcomes into the IFSP Process

1. Integrating the Child Outcomes into the IFSP Process Anne Brager, VA Part C Program Sherri Britt Williams, NC Part C Program Kathi Gillaspy, ECTA Center May 22, 2014 2014 Inclusion Institute

2. Why Integrate Outcomes?

3. Goal of Early Intervention The Early Childhood Outcomes Center (2005). Family and Child Outcomes for Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education. Retrieved August 2012. From http://www.fpg.unc.edu/~eco/assets/pdfs/ECO_Outcomes_4-13-05.pdf For children to enable young children to be active and successful participants during the early childhood years and in the future in a variety of settings – in their homes with their families, in child care, preschool  or school programs, and in the community For families to enable families to provide care for their child and have the resources they need to participate in their own desired family and community activities 

4. Mission of Early Intervention Services Part C early intervention builds upon and provides supports and resources to assist family members and caregivers to enhance children’s learning and development through everyday learning opportunities. Mission and Key Principles of Early Intervention Services http://www.nectac.org/~pdfs/topics/families/Finalmissionandprinciples3_11_08.pdf Seven Key Principles Looks Like/Doesn’t Look Like http://www.nectac.org/~pdfs/topics/families/Principles_LooksLike_DoesntLookLike3_11_08.pdf

5. 3 Global Child Outcomes • Positive social emotional skills (including positive social relationships) • Acquisition and use of knowledge and skills (including early language/communication and for preschool, literacy) • Use of appropriate behaviors to meet their needs

6. Integrating Outcome Measurementinto IFSP Process The IFSP Process plans supports and services to address priorities and to support successful participation in daily activities Individual outcomes or goals for each child build on his/her interests/skills and reduce barriers to successful participation in daily learning opportunities Through participation – all children learn (interest-based learning, practice and independence)

7. Making the Connection:Using Functional Assessment Functional assessment is the means by which we accomplish an integrated process, including developing individual outcomes/goals as well as determining the rating for each of the three global child outcomes.

8. The Right People, the Right Situation,the Right Time • Why not complete the Child Outcome Summary (COS) rating while talking about the child’s functioning and development? • Providers who are integrating the outcomes work, suggest that the completing the COS rating at the IFSP meeting to summarize the assessment results is a natural and enriching conversation • Outcomes and goals become more functional – routine and activity based For more information about integrating outcomes into the IFSP/IEP process, please visit the ECO website at www.the-eco-center.org.

9. Integrating Outcomes Measurement: Focus and Purpose

10. Integration – Outcomes and IEP Processes BIG • Critical to the picture of what we are all trying to accomplish Not just about creating a more seamless process…not just details and how

11. Disconnect? • States accountable for…. • Programs working toward…. • Providers focus on…. • Children achieve….

12. Alignment Across Levels • States accountable for…. • Programs working toward…. • Providers focus on…. • Children achieve….

13. Ultimate Goals for EI and ECSE For children: “To enable young children to be active and successful participants during the early childhood years and in the future in a variety of settings – in their homes with their families, in child care, preschool or school programs, and in the community.” Based on the ECO stakeholder process when identifying 3 functional outcomes

14. Thinking

15. What is the Framework Guiding Our Thinking? • Providers always bring some kind of framework for taking information about the skills a child currently uses and planning where they want to see the child go next • Are these guiding ideas explicit or unspoken? • Are they using a unified framework or multiple frameworks?

16. Examples of Guiding Frameworks The items on a specific assessment tool A milestone checklist or series of skills to learn based on a provider’s specialty area A specific curriculum, with assessment identifying starting point Whatever the family wants Early Childhood Outcomes Center

17. The 3 Outcomes as a Guiding Framework The 3 functional outcomes can be a framework, a lens, for viewing child functioning and planning intervention

18. Having positive social relationships Taking appropriate action to meet needs Acquiring and using knowledge and skills Global Outcomes =

19. Why Use the Outcomes?? Socially validated – reflect what we are trying to achieve Functional They’re integrated – emphasize the whole child Flexible – not wedded to one particular assessment, curriculum, or level of child functioning

20. What Might It Look Like? Assessment What does our assessment tell us about the child’s functioning in each outcome area across settings and situations? • Organizer for planning breadth and type of assessment approaches needed and who should be involved in it • Organizer for writing or sharing results • Produces information for outcomes and planning

21. Assessment Having positive social relationships Taking appropriate action to meet needs Acquiring and using knowledge and skills Global Outcomes =

22. What Might It Look Like?IEPs Planning IEP goals: • Has the team considered how to write individualized outcomes that continue help the child progress in each of the 3 outcome areas? • Will the individualized goals written support effective participation (overarching goal)? • With global outcomes as an organizer for where we want the child to go, use of discrete, domain-specific objectives won’t make sense.

23. IEP Development Having positive social relationships Taking appropriate action to meet needs Acquiring and using knowledge and skills Global Outcomes =

24. IEP Development Having positive social relationships Taking appropriate action to meet needs Acquiring and using knowledge and skills Global Outcomes =

25. What Might it Look Like?Intervention Intervention Having positive social relationships Taking appropriate action to meet needs Acquiring and using knowledge and skills Global Outcomes =

26. What Might it Look Like? IFSP/IEP Review IEP Review Having positive social relationships Taking appropriate action to meet needs Acquiring and using knowledge and skills Global Outcomes =

27. Benefits More understandable, measureable individualized IFSP outcomes Families can tell when their children are achieving desired outcomes Reinforces the assessment and planning cycle Improves practice Supports progress in the overarching areas that are central to early intervention Early Childhood Outcomes Center

28. Active and Successful Participation

29. Army EDIS

30. Virginia • Option to integrate narratives from initial training in Jan/Feb 2007. • In 2011, identified need to update training materials. • Group of LSMs, providers, state TA, state staff • Training wasn’t enough – it was philosophical shift that was needed

31. Integrating the Child Indicatorsin Virginia Understanding that the 3 child indicators serve as the foundation for the full EI process Understanding that information related to the 3 child indicators begins at referral and continues throughout the EI process Introduced new Indicator Statements Introduced a new IFSP format for writing ASP narratives

32. Virginia’s Integration of Child Outcomes into IFSP Process • Quality Practices provided the foundation of VA’s integration • Focus was on process not changes to the IFSP form • Consistent framework statewide

33. Keys to Successful Implementation • Early Implementers chosen from regions across the state • Quality Practices aligned with Virginia’s IFSP process • Each component rolled out one month at a time Infant & Toddler Connection of Virginia

34. Regular Meetings with Ongoing Assessment Infant & Toddler Connection of Virginia

36. Functional narrative related to the specific indicator Indicator Statement Functional narrative related to the specific indicator Indicator Statement

37. Getting From Domains to Indicators The “Book” Guiding Questions Indicator Statements Feedback on Narratives

39. Feedback on Narratives • Feedback provided to each system on 2-3 IFSPs per month • Feedback also provided to each system statewide before full statewide implementation Infant & Toddler Connection of Virginia

40. Connecting the Dots in Virginia • Replaced state principles with national 7 Key Principles • Child Outcomes Gone Awry: Putting the Pieces Together trainings http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BoTuVtijx34 • Statewide Coaching Initiative • Connection of Key Principals Visuals Infant & Toddler Connection of Virginia

41. Connecting the Dots- the what, the why and the how Infant & Toddler Connection of Virginia

42. Infant & Toddler Connection of Virginia

43. Local Uses of QP in Virginia • Initial and follow-up self assessment • Electronic Health Record • TA’s use it to orient new local system managers • LSM’s use it for orientation and training Infant & Toddler Connection of Virginia

44. Local Uses of QP in Virginia • Single Point of Entry and service coordinators use it to explain EI and introduce child and family outcomes • Some LSMs use it as an observation and feedback tool for staff and contractors • Focused trainings based on outcomes results Infant & Toddler Connection of Virginia

45. Child Indicator Guiding Questions

46. Essential Components/Next Steps Essential Components: • Feedback • Not a one time training Next Steps: • Continue to connect the dots • Explore formal integration of family outcomes • Coordinate this work with the SSIP

47. Integrating Child Outcomes With the IFSP Process North Carolina’s Journey

48. Graphic developed by: Maryland State Department of Education Division of Special Education/Early Intervention Services Early Childhood Intervention and Education Branch June 2011

49. Stages of Implementation • Exploration • Installation • Initial Implementation • Full Implementation • Articulate Desired Changes/Results • Compare Approaches • Explore Implementation • Conduct Public Awareness • Move On To Installation • Secure Leadership Support • Develop a Communication Plan/Message Materials • Build Implementation Team • Determine System Supports • Build Training & Technical Assistance Capacity • Develop an Implementation Plan • Move on to Initial Implementation • Implement Training & TA • Implement an Integrated IFSP and COM Process • Support Reflection & Use of Feedback Loops • Adapt and Adjust Infrastructure to Support Practices • Evaluate Fidelity and Quality of Initial Efforts • Make Changes to Support Sustainability • Maintain & Improve Skills and Practice • Maintain Infrastructure for Data Collection and Monitoring • Assess Implementation of Integrated Process • Create Organizational Structures to Support Integrated Process • Take Action to Ensure Sustainability

50. Exploration • Phase