Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) Concerns and Priorities

1) Purpose: This section is used to identify the concerns and immediate priorities that the family has identified as most important and that would make the greatest impact in their daily life and the supports and resources of the family.

2) Process: Through discussion, the IFSP team reviews the information gathered thus far in the IFSP process, and the family identifies their concerns and immediate priorities. The family identifies the supports and resources they currently have, or may need, as they address the concerns and priorities throughout the IFSP development process.

3) EI Data System: This information is entered via the IFSP Home Visual Force page under the Concerns and Priorities tab. Reference IFSP Home – Visual Force.

Note: For a brief video demonstration of entering Concerns & Priorities via IFSP Home, click HERE.

Your Family’s Concerns: Concerns you have about your child’s participation in the routines of your day and your child’s health and development. Information, resources and supports you need or want for your child and family.

• At the end of the Family Assessment, the concerns that have been identified are reviewed. A team member may also choose to ask about specific times of the day, “I heard you say that bedtime is challenging because Mia won’t settle down. Is that something that you are concerned about?” The IFSP team listens as the family summarizes the concerns that they have for their child and family related to their child’s participation in their everyday routines, activities and places.

  • Record the concerns in the words of the family.

Your Family’s Priorities: The most important things for your child and family right now.

• Once the concerns are listed, the family is asked to identify their most immediate priorities from the list. If needed, use guidance questions to support the family in prioritizing their concerns, such as, “Looking at this list, what would you like to focus on in the next six months?”, or “Which of these is impacting your life the most right now?”. Assure the family that none of their concerns will be forgotten; they are simply deciding what to focus on first.

  • Record the family’s immediate priorities.

Your Family’s Supports and Resources: Activities that are important to your family and resources that you have for support, including people, programs and organizations.

• Document information that the family has shared about their formal and informal resources and supports. This can include information about other state or local programs they are receiving support from, groups they belong to, or friends or family that are a source of support. If the family has not shared this information previously, use guidance questions to obtain this information, such as, “Are there any other programs that provide support to your family?”, or “Do you have friends or family that help you out when needed?”.

  • Record the supports and resources that the family has identified.