IFSP Checklist for Providers: Special Considerations

Deaf and hard of hearing children need plans built on how they actually access language, not on assumptions. Use this checklist to strengthen the special considerations in a child's IFSP, or Individualized Family Service Plan, the birth-to-three early intervention plan. It prompts you to document the full home language environment, use assessments that measure ASL and spoken language separately and thoroughly, write goals that include communication, culture, and identity, bring in qualified Deaf professionals and adult role models, and connect families to advocacy, the Deaf community, and other families.