Transcript Natural Environments

Natural Environments
The IFSP team determines if it is necessary to consider providing
services outside of the natural environment.
Remember: Parents are part of the IFSP team. Make sure we
have documentation how they are apart of the process.
If the IFSP team considers the child/families needs and concerns,
priorities and resources and determines that to meet the
individual needs of the child, services must be provided in a
location that does not meet the definition of “natural” is
necessary, then it is defensible under the law.
If we are “honestly” and “authentically” following this process
then we are in compliance.
Team Process
Step 1 (Question)
Questions to ask when thinking about bringing a child
into center-based services.
1. What is the reason that a child’s progress/goals are
not being met in their natural environment?
2. Has “satisfactorily” progress for the infant or toddler
been made in a natural environment?
• Do we have documentation of lack of progress or
concern that is not being met in NE?
-Review goals
-Document concerns on home visit notes
-Documentation of team discussion on child
study notes
2. Have we seen the child long enough to
determine that they need center-based
services?
• Best practice: Work with the child for 3+
months before considering center-based
services.
3. Could we better address this goal through
increased frequency in the natural
environment?
• Best practice: Increase intensity in the home
then re-address progress in a few months.
(e.g. move from 1 x a month to 2 x a month)
Step 2 (Goals)
Goal(s) for center-based services
Should have a goal on IFSP to address the
goal that shows the skill working on in the
class room and how they will be able to
implement in their Natural Environment.
Example
A child who has extremely difficult behaviors.
Parents report it is difficult taking the child to
neighborhood playgroups.
Goal Examples
• Bill will decrease hitting other children so that he
will be able to interact with peers in his
neighborhood playgroup.
• Parents will learn strategies/tools to help Bill
interact with other children so that he will be
able to interact with peers in his neighborhood
playgroup.
Adding Goals
Whose responsibility is it to add the goal?
• In child study the team will determine which
team member will add the goal with the
family.
• Service Coordinator – responsibility to followup and make sure a goal is placed on the IFSP.
Step 3
Justification Statements
“a justification of the extent, if any, to which the
services will not be provided in a natural
environment”.
A justification statement may be reflective of the
family’s concerns and priorities, or a
determination that the natural environments are
not conducive to achievement of the child and
family outcomes.
No individual member of the team may unilaterally
determine the setting for service delivery.
Justification Statement Example
Parents are concerned about Bill’s social skills
because he is no longer allowed to attend
neighborhood playgroups due to his
behaviors/interactions with the other children.
KOTM playgroup provides a safe, controlled
environment with professional support to teach
parents strategies/tools to manage Bill’s
behaviors in a safe place before generalizing to
his natural environments.
Services
• Playgroup should always have a START and
STOP time indicating we have a timeline in
place to return services to the natural
environment.
Removing Playgroup
KOTM internal Policy
If a child has missed class 2 weeks in a row without
contacting KOTM staff the facilitator of the class will
contact the family to see WHY. If it is a new kid the
Primary Provider will call the family.
If the child misses another week (making it 3 weeks in a
row). He/she will be removed from class on the IFSP.
On the 4th Monday of the month playgroup kids will be
discussed to catch any kids that need to be removed.
Parents need to be made aware of our policy in advance.
Questions?