Module 1: Lesson 2: First Contacts with the Family

First Contacts with the Family

The development of the Individualized Family Support Plan (IFSP) begins at the first contact with the family and other caregivers. The purpose of gathering information is to learn more about the child's and family's background, interests, strengths, needs, and activities within the family, community, and for some children, early care and education settings (Dunst & Bruder, 1999). During this exchange, the opportunity is given to the family to share their experiences with their child, as well as previous medical, health, or developmental evaluation information, describe their concerns and priorities, and share information about their child's development. The everyday routines and activities of the child and family are explored during first contacts, including the places they occur in and the important people who are part of the child's life. The information obtained is used to prepare and plan for evaluation and assessment and development of the IFSP. In addition, the family receives information about Part C and the family-centered focus of Early Steps. It is important to gain an understanding of the family's perception of early intervention and discuss any misperceptions.

The process of gathering information should be as conversational and noninvasive as possible. To do this, the person gathering the information should create a climate in which families feels free to talk about their child and family. The types of information gathered must be with the concurrence of the family and should include the following:

• the child's and family's strengths and interests
• settings where the child and family live and play (family, community, and child care or preschool settings), and the people who are involved
• settings in which the family would like for their child to participate if he or she did not have a developmental disability or delay
• the family's concerns and priorities for the child's participation in family and community life, and early care and education settings
• the family's need for informational, emotional, and material supports (McWilliam & Scott, 2001)

The person who gathers this information may vary from program to program. Some programs may use a service coordinator to conduct an initial interview, whereas in other programs the person doing the interview may be a service provider, who has sufficient training in conducting first contacts and is also a member of the team.

Following are the Early Steps requirements and team activities for conducting first contacts:

• conduct first contacts face-to-face with the child and family/other primary caregivers in their typical environment
• request that the referred child is present for some part of the first contacts process
• conduct first contacts at times and locations convenient to the family
• document the family's concerns and review any available information regarding the child's vision and hearing status, unless the child has a diagnosed hearing or vision impairment
• educate the family on the family-centered focus of early intervention and the team based service delivery system

During first contacts, the service coordinator, or other trained team member, also provides verbal and written information about several critical aspects of the family's relationship with Early Steps, including procedural safeguards, the Central Directory, and transition of the child at age three, The service coordinator also obtains written consent for obtaining information on the child and family and utilization of insurance and Medicaid.

Module Four: First Contacts-Building Relationships with Families of this curriculum provides in-depth training on first contacts. The Early Steps Service Delivery Policy and Guidance document provides further detail on Early Steps requirements for first contacts, which includes child screening, family assessment, and evaluation and assessment planning as described in the next sections.

Click on 'previous' to return to the IFSP flow diagram.