Learn More About Responding to Progress Information

Responding to ongoing and periodic progress information helps teams decide whether to adapt supports and services on the IFSP to ensure the child and family continue to make progress toward IFSP outcomes. When responding to progress information, teams can start by thinking about the following questions:  

 

1. How is what we are doing working for the child and family?  

2. What changes do we need to make? 

 

For child outcomes, providers use SOOPR practices to track the ongoing progress of caregiver implementation of embedded practices and child progress during each visit. Providers support caregivers to answer How Will We Know Its Working? question in the 5Q framework. Their response to this question indicates how the caregiver and provider will know when the child has learned to use their new skill during routines. Reviewing "How Will We Know It's Working?" during each visit also provides an opportunity for ongoing problem solving with caregivers about changes to priority skills (WHAT), routines (WHEN/WHERE/WHO), and caregiver-embedded strategies (HOW) to collaboratively track and respond to child progress on a regular basis. 

 

Respond to Child Use of Skills 

 

Suppose the information gathered for a periodic IFSP review indicates the child is not making expected progress. In that case, the team, which always includes the family, can discuss whether the child has the foundational skills needed to learn the skills in the 3- and 6-month progress indicators that lead to the outcome. Discussing skills the child has learned toward the targeted outcome is important when deciding if the child might not be ready to reach identified short-term priority skills (WHAT) or progress indicators. If the child is not ready for their priority skills, teams can revise the 3- and 6-month progress indicators and IFSP outcome to reflect more appropriate short-term skills.   

 

If the information gathered indicates that the child is learning new skills, the team can collaborate to decide how to continue supporting the child’s progress. For example, families and providers can discuss whether the family wants to prioritize a more advanced skill, develop an outcome in a different skill area, or expand the child’s use of current skills to new routines or new partners. Teams may also consider changes to the strategies and action steps identified to support a child’s outcome. 

 

Respond to Caregiver Support and Use of Embedded Practices 

 

If the child skills targeted in the progress indicators and IFSP outcome seem appropriate, the IFSP team can discuss whether the family or caregiver is receiving the supports needed to help their child learn new skills. Teams might ask: 

 

• Is the caregiver receiving the right amount of caregiver coaching to know how to help the child learn the new skill? If not, teams can consider increasing the frequency or length of caregiver coaching visits. 

• Are there other supports related to family-level outcomes that may enhance the family's capacity to support their child's learning? 

• Are the caregiver-embedded strategies (HOW) or routines and times identified (WHEN/WHERE/WHO) for supporting their child's priority skills "working" for the caregiver? Do the caregiver and provider need to problem-solve potential changes to how and where their child is supported? 

 

If necessary, the team can adapt the strategies and supports described in the IFSP. For example, the IFSP team might decide to provide more coaching support for the family as they implement the strategies described in the IFSP or adapt the strategies proposed in the IFSP.  

 

Respond to Family Progress Data 

​

If a family or family member has made progress or achieved their outcome, the provider might ask if the family wants to develop a new or additional family outcome based on their current priorities. If the family or a family member is not making progress as expected or desired on targeted family short-term progress indicators and IFSP outcomes:  

• The family and service coordinator or provider can review and discuss current supports to achieve the outcome. The team may also discuss whether the outcome remains a priority or needs to be revised.  

• If the family confirms the outcome is a priority, the team can discuss their satisfaction with current strategies and supports and any barriers they have experienced with supports provided to address this outcome.  

• If barriers exist, the team can work together to identify additional or different strategies to support the family to address the targeted outcome based on the family's current priorities and preferences.