Understanding the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP)
Read about the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP).
The action plan to help your child
An Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) is the plan outlining the services your child and your family will receive while in the Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) program. ECI is available for eligible children from birth to age 3.
All children in ECI have an IFSP team, and you, as your baby’s parent, are a very important member of this team. You will meet with your team to help develop the IFSP after your baby is evaluated and found eligible for ECI services. (Note: eligible children in Early Head Start will also have an IFSP.)
Since you know your baby better than anyone else, you have unique information to share with the team. The other members of your IFSP team will be any other members of your family who you want to be included, and at least two ECI staff members from different areas of expertise who are knowledgeable in the area of your baby’s needs.
What the IFSP covers
An IFSP will include:
- The services ECI will provide for your baby and family
- How often and where you will get the services
- Who will provide each service
- Goals for your baby and your family
- Activities people in your baby’s life can do to help her reach the goals
- Who your service coordinator or case manager is
- Your baby’s medical history
- Information about how your baby is developing
- How the team will measure your baby’s progress
- When ECI services will start and end
- Ideas for helping your family find services when you leave ECI
- How ECI services can be paid for
- Any services your child needs that ECI will not be providing
Regular check-ins
You will meet with your IFSP team at least every 6 months to discuss if the services and strategies in the IFSP are helping, and to make any needed changes. But you have the right to request an IFSP meeting to talk about your child’s progress at any time.
More information
Download the ECI Parent Handbook (PDF) to learn how you will help develop your baby's IFSP and how the services in the IFSP can be delivered.