Discussing Outcomes with Families

Information about the child and family outcomes and the integrated COS/IFSP process should be shared with families throughout the early intervention experience. The document entitled A Family Guide to Understanding the Individualized Family Service Plan can be used as a resource when discussing outcomes to help families understand why we measure results and how they can be active participants in the process.

When reviewing the resource document, pay particular attention to the worksheet provided on page 13 to assist family members in thinking about the child’s strengths and needs, as well as the information presented about measuring child and family outcomes (page 15).

How might you begin the discussion about measuring child results with a family?

Gathering Information from Families

Information is gathered from families throughout the integrated COS/IFSP process. They are critical members of the decision-making team, and serve as a primary source of insight on children’s strengths and needs. The graphic below illustrates how examples of various COS-related data collection documents can be used with families during different stages of the IFSP process.

When gathering information from parents and caregivers, limit the questions that can be answered with a “yes” or “no” response and those questions that are multiple choice. For example, “Does Anthony drink from a regular cup or sippy cup?” Rather, ask questions that allow parents and caregivers to tell you what they have seen. Of course, sometimes you will need to ask yes/no or multiple choice questions, but it is best to start with open-ended questions. When more specific information or clarification is needed, it may be appropriate to ask yes/no or multiple choice type questions.

It is important that descriptive, functional information about children is gathered from families. Prompt family members to provide rich descriptions of children’s true abilities by asking questions such as:

• What kind of cup does your child drink from?
• How independently?
• How much spilling?
• How much and how often? And so on.

On occasion you can provide further context by asking the parent or caregiver to think of the last time something happened and then describe it. By asking about a recent activity, the parent can recall the situation and explain it in more detail. Part IIB of Maryland’s IFSP (Routines in Natural Environments) is a critical source of authentic information, which yields rich descriptions about the child’s engagement, independence, and social relationships in the context of all that happens in a typical day.