1. Unlimited Potential Team Training for Staff TOPIC: UP Team Training: Where We’ve Been and Where We’re Going
Reaching UP
Stepping UP
Growing UP
November Webinar

2. Welcome and Introductions
Training Facilitator: Ravyn Team Leads: Aundria, Nancy, Tracy UP Coaches: Heather, Sarah B, Krista Terrell, Jacquelyn Staff Touch Base

3. UP Training Agenda Review “Where We’ve Been” Assess Progress
Overview “Where We’re Going” in 2018
Putting it into Practice for this Month

4. Where We’ve Been This year we have trained: Purpose and goal of SSIP
Explaining Part C Program to Parents, Caregivers, and Referral Sources
Best Practices for Initial Contacts
Best Practices for Intake
Family Assessment
Family Goal on the IFSP
Completing the COS Using Approved Tools
Using the Results of Family Assessment to Create Functional Goals
Creating Action Steps (Objectives) Linked to Typical Activities
Selecting Services Based on What is Needed to Support Families in Reaching Functional Goals

5. Goals of Early Intervention
For children
to enable young children to be active and successful participants during the early childhood years and in the future in a variety of settings – in their homes with their families, in child care, preschool  or school programs, and in the community
For families
to enable families to provide care for their child and have the resources they need to participate in their own desired family and community activities 
Now let’s focus on making the connection between what we know about how children learn and how the adults in a child’s life can best support his/her development and what professionals do with children and families. The ultimate goal of EI services is to enable children to be active and successful participants in a variety of settings throughout their lives. In order to accomplish this goal, professionals must use the methods, models and interventions supported by research to help reinforce the confidence and competence of families to meet their child’s needs and to participate in the community in ways that are meaningful to them.
The goals for children and families, as they are worded here, were developed by the Early Childhood Outcomes (ECO) Center in the process of developing the three outcomes that we now measure to show the effect of IDEA services on the development of young children ages birth through 5 years. A year long process involving stakeholders from all over the nation and from many perspectives – providers, state and local administrators, researchers, family members, TA providers, and so forth – resulted in defining the overarching goals and the specific outcomes of early intervention and early childhood special education programs.
Trainer notes:
We recommend using the hyperlink included in the slide above to show participants the ECO document as well as printing a copy prior to the training as a presenter copy. This will reduce paper handouts and allow those interested to download the document after the training. If copies are desired, the handout may be downloaded from this link, saved and printed.
The Early Childhood Outcomes Center (2005). Family and Child Outcomes for Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education. Retrieved from

6. Review: Purpose and Goal of SSIP
The State Systemic Improvement Plan (SSIP) describes how a state will improve child and family outcomes over a period of 4-5 years. The plan has one large goal (SiMR) and breaks down the short-term goals to reach the main goal in the SSIP Plan.
Our State-identified Measureable Result (SiMR): To increase the percentage of families who report that early intervention helped them help their child develop and learn.

7. Review: Purpose and Goal of SSIP
How will we “get there?”
Unlimited Potential Initiative or “UP” to train UP teams to implement evidence-based practices with fidelity.
Short-term goals:
Help parents understand their role in early intervention
Prepare parents to be active participants in all aspects of early intervention
Develop high-quality, functional IFSPs
Increase percentage of service provided in the natural environment

8. Review: Explaining Part C Program to Parents, Caregivers, and Referral Sources
To help parents understand their role in early intervention, we have to “remarket” the Part C Program.
We have to move away from marketing our program as “free therapy for babies” or “evaluations” and “services” and explain our program as an early learning program for infants and toddlers that supports the adult caregivers in helping their child develop and learn.

9. Survey / Poll
A question will appear in the poll feature. Select your and submit.
After participating in UP Training this year, how confident do you feel in helping families (and others) understand what early intervention “looks like?”

10. Review: Explaining Part C Program to Parents, Caregivers, and Referral Sources
“All intervention takes place between provider visits” (Dr. Robin McWilliam)
What do you think Dr. Robin McWilliam means?
What comes to mind when you read this statement and look at the picture?

11. Supporting Parents and Caregivers
Shares knowledge and resources with a child’s key caregivers through adult-to-adult relationships
Family members are supported in their day-to-day responsibilities of caring for their child
In this new paradigm, practitioners’ roles have shifted from the practitioner as the expert to the practitioner as one who shares knowledge and resources with a child’s key caregivers through adult-to-adult relationships in order to support family members in their day-to-day responsibilities of caring for their child.
Trainer notes:
At this point in the presentation, please pause to check in with your audience. It is recommended that you ask 1-2 relevant reflection questions before moving on to the next section of the presentation. The questions below are designed to assess participants’ knowledge, skills and attitude related to the content of the presentation. The trainer should select questions from the options listed below based upon the particular audience and their comments and questions to this point, and what may be needed in order to support the participants’ understanding and application of the material.
Potential questions to ask:
“Does this information about supporting families resonate with you?”
“What are you already doing to support families?”
“In what ways, if any, might you need to change your own practice?”
“What additional supports and resources might you need?”
“Do you have any questions?”
Hanft, B. (April, 2010). Enhancing Services in Natural Environments [webinar]. Retrieved from

12. Review: Best Practices for Initial Contacts
Resource:
Recommended Practices (RPs) for Initial Contacts
Initial contacts are critical.
Initial contacts:
Help families understand the program so that they can make educated choices for their family
Help prepare families to be active participants in early intervention
Get information from the family about their priorities for their child’s early learning
Begin the relationship building with families
Help families know the next steps

13. Review: Best Practices for Initial Contacts
Self Check: Are you?
Describing the program as an educational program or a “therapy” or “service program?”
Describing the program in a way that helps families understand their active role?
Helping families understand their options and next steps?
Are you sending the response to the referral when the referral source is other than the family?
Are you documenting contacts with families in “Notices and Communications” section of CDS or in case notes?

14. Referral Response Form

15. Review: Best Practices for Intake
Resource:
Chapter Four of the Early Intervention Workbook
At intake, we:
Help families learn their rights
Help guide families in the EI process
Continue relationship-building
Learn more about what the family would like their child to be able to do (functional information)
Prepare families to participate in their IFSP meeting

16. Review: Family Assessment
Resource:
TA: Child & Family Assessment on the FC Web Site “Provider Training” tab
Telling families what the purpose of the assessment is before conducting the interview
Completing all portions of the form
Conducting the assessment interview conversationally
Showing an interest in getting to know the family
Asking clarifying questions, when needed

17. Review: Using the Results of Family Assessment to Create Functional Goals
How we use the results of the family assessment:
To know where this child and family go and what they like to do
To know who else is around and involved who can help practice with the child
To help the family develop functional child goals based on what the family wants the child to be able to do
To get an idea of what activities and routines objectives can be practiced in and goals can be linked to

18. Review: Completing the COS Using Approved Tools
At our last face to face training/workday teams practiced using the Age Anchor and Decision Tree to complete Child Outcomes Summary Ratings.
We learned that it is important to:
Explain the purpose to families ahead of time
Involve all members of the IFSP team in coming up with the rating
Involve other caregivers (like child care provider)
Use the tools
Think about how the child functions in different places and situations
Explain “immediate foundational skills” and give examples

19. Review: Creating Action Steps (Objectives) Linked to Typical Activities
Last month, we learned that high-quality action steps or objectives:
Are simple and clear
Are an observable child action
Are measureable in a real-world way (anyone can tell when the child has mastered the step)
Clearly explain who will do what, when, where, and how so that caregivers can use their plan (IFSP) to help their child develop new skills within typical family activities

20. Review: Developing Strategies to Meet IFSP Outcomes
IFSP Strategies (Objectives) Must:
Help meet the IFSP goal
Be based on how all children learn throughout the course of everyday life, at home, in early care and education settings, and in the community
Be developmentally appropriate for the child
Focus on naturally occurring learning opportunities whenever possible
Specifically, strategies for IFSP outcomes must:
Help achieve the outcome,
Be based on how all children learn throughout the course of everyday life, at home, in early care and education settings, and in the community,
Be developmentally appropriate for the child,
Focus on naturally occurring learning opportunities whenever possible,
Build on familiar activities and routines, and
Describe who will do what.

21. Review: Developing Strategies to Meet IFSP Outcomes
Action Steps/Outcomes (the strategies) Must:
Support caregivers to provide children with everyday learning experiences and opportunities that strengthen and promote a child’s competence and development
Support learning that occurs in context of things that have high levels of interest and engagement for child and family
Describe who will do what, when, where, and how so that caregivers can implement these strategies to support their child’s early learning.

22. Information for the Team to Consider When Developing Action Steps (Objectives):
Consider what’s working and what’s challenging in everyday routines and activities at home and other locations.
Consider the child’s interests and abilities and embed strategies within these activities.

23. Information for the Team to Consider When Developing Objectives:
Consider how the child’s developmental skills, needs and disability influence the child’s learning and participation in everyday routines and activities and how to help the child be more participatory.
Consider which other important people in the child’s life can join in and participate in implementing strategies that give the child chances to practice during play and other activities.

24. Information for the Team to Consider When Developing Objectives:
At the IFSP meeting, after the action steps/objectives have been developed, the team can “check their work” by considering:
Do these strategies build on child and family interests?
Are these strategies going to take place within the activities and routines this family has described?
Do these strategies clearly describe who will do what and when?

25. Children are not determined eligible for services.
Review: Selecting Services Based on What is Needed to Support Families in Reaching Functional Goals
This year we have looked at “services” in a different way.
Children are not determined eligible for services.
At the meeting to go over the evaluation results, the IFSP team (which includes the parent) determines if the child is eligible for early intervention (eligible to participate in the Part C program).

26. Children are not determined eligible for services.
Review: Selecting Services Based on What is Needed to Support Families in Reaching Functional Goals
This year we have looked at “services” in a different way.
Children are not determined eligible for services.
If the child is eligible for early intervention (eligible to participate in the Part C program), the services needed to support the caregivers in implementing their plan are selected AFTER functional goals and objectives have been developed WITH the family.

27. Review: Steps in the Process
First… develop IFSP outcomes based on family assessment information Then…develop with the family steps (objectives) to reach the goals Then...determine caregivers’ formal and informal resources Then… determine placement, services and supports based on what is necessary to support caregivers in implementing their IFSP to meet the outcomes
Remember to develop the outcome or goal before determining placement, services and supports. The services a child needs to receive should be based on the outcome or goal, not the other way around. Placement or location of services should be based on whether or not the outcome and goal can be met in the least restrictive or natural environment.

28. Services to Meet the Outcomes
More is better* –
BUT this means more learning opportunities
NOT more services
Learning is what happens between professional’s contacts with child/family
Throughout the child’s day
In everyday routines and activities
Through multiple repetitions and lots of practice
The way all young children learn and participate with families and friends in their communities
Jung, L. (2003). More is better: Maximizing natural learning opportunities. Young Exceptional Children, 6(3),
Overall, more is better. However, this does not mean loading an IFSP/IEP with services. It means providing more learning opportunities throughout a child’s day, in everyday routines, and activities using multiple repetitions and lots of practices. As has been mentioned before, all services listed on an IEP or IFSP should be purposeful and necessary to help children achieve their functional outcomes or goals.

29. Connecting all the Dots:
We’ve talked about all of the parts that have to work together in order to reach our goal of helping families help their child develop and learn.
Families Help their Child Learn and Develop
Meaningful
IFSP Outcomes
3 Global Child Outcomes
Functional Assessment

30. Poll:
A question will appear in the poll feature. Select your and submit.
After participating in UP Training this year, how confident do you feel in developing a functional IFSP around family interests, goals, and priorities?

31. Discussion:
What information from reviewing the topics we’ve trained stood out to you and why?
Trainer notes:
At this point, ask participants what lingering questions they may have from the activity or the content presented during the day.
“What are some next steps you might take as a result of this training?”

32. Where We’re Going December:
Self-assessing training needs to identify what our team wants to know more about.
Staff assess “what’s working” and “what’s not working” in training.
Trainer notes:
At this point, ask participants what lingering questions they may have from the activity or the content presented during the day.
“What are some next steps you might take as a result of this training?”

33. Where We’re Going 2018: Involving childcare providers more
Modified FC Child & Family Assessment to do with childcare providers
Family capacity-building practices
Assessing quality

34. Questions? Trainer notes:
At this point, ask participants what lingering questions they may have from the activity or the content presented during the day.
Prior to concluding the session, you may want to consider distributing evaluations for the session. In addition to sending/handing out evaluations, you may also want to verbally debrief the session with a few questions, such as:
“What have you learned from this training?”
“What, if anything, might you do differently in your work?”
“What are some next steps you might take as a result of this training?”

35. Putting It into Practice Activity
Reflect on what you’ve learned this year through the monthly UP Staff Training that we reviewed in this lesson.
Then, think about what you’d like to know more about or a procedure or process you’d like more support in to feel confident in implementing best practices in your work.
Post your answer on the SC Spot blog spot at:

36. Developed by:
This presentation was adapted from the Developing High Quality, Functional IFSP Outcomes, developed by
Anne Lucas, ECTA Center / WRRC; Kathi Gillaspy, ECTA Center / ECO; Mary Peters, ECTA Center
With contributions from Naomi Younggren, Department of Defense/Army Early Intervention;
Debbie Cate, ECTA Center; Megan Vinh, WRRC; Joicey Hurth, ECTA Center/NERRC;
Christina Kasprzak, ECTA Center; and Grace Kelley, SERRC
This presentation was adapted from presentations originally created by staff from the Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (ECTA Center) and the Western Regional Resource Center (WRRC) and reviewed by staff from the South Eastern Regional Resource Center (SERRC), and the Department of Defense/ Army Early Intervention Services.