Examples of transition outcomes (link to section h)



Examples of transition outcomes (link to section h)

Insert resource box here: For information about developing functional outcomes, measurable criteria and collaborative strategies, see Developing IFSPs with families. (link to essential content in Mod 2 session 2)

Reviewing IFSP outcomes and planning for transition

An essential component of planning for transition focuses on reviewing IFSP outcomes and strategies with families when a child turns two. For children already in infants and toddlers programs, this means reviewing their current IFSP outcomes with “an eye to the future” to consider what skills and interactions may be needed to help a child participate in future early childhood environments. When children are referred to infants and toddlers after age two, their initial IFSP outcomes should reflect this outlook.

Preschool staff identifies two critical variables important to the successful participation of children with special needs in their community programs:

1) the presence of functional skills; and

2) being able to perform independently in activities (Buysse et al, 1996).

Insert tip box below: Remember that transition outcomes for an IFSP identify the skills and interactions children need to prepare them for participation in a new setting.

The following four categories provide an umbrella for selecting specific IFSP outcomes to prepare children for transition (Atwater et al., 1994; McWilliam, Wolery & Odom, 2001). Families and their infants & toddlers providers will decide if IFSP outcomes for each category need to be identified. IFSP outcomes will help children:

1. Actively engage in and master their environments;

2. Become socially competent members of groups;

3. Develop coping/adaptation skills;

4. Function more independently.

Examples of transition outcomes/strategies:

1. Identifying IFSP outcomes to help children actively engage in and master their environments (e.g. learn to listen to others; manage one’s own materials; follow routine instructions given to a group; ask a question)

Brinda loves to be around her older brother, Jason. The family always eats dinner together, and this is a lively event that Brinda enjoys. Brinda was born 3 months premature, and experienced a loss of oxygen at birth; she also developed grand mal seizures which are still not fully under control. When she turned two, her parents and infants and toddlers providers reviewed her IFSP and decided that her current outcomes were on target for developing transition skills, particularly the one focused on communicating her wants. Both parents work, and have placed Brinda on the waiting list in a family child care setting with a provider who is experienced caring for children with significant developmental delay. Brinda’s parents would like her to receive Part B preschool services, if eligible, in this setting also.

|Outcome/criteria to help Brinda actively engage|Strategies |

|in and master her environment | |

|Brinda will answer “yes” and “no” questions |ITP provider, family and child care provider will identify |

|from family members and caregivers |situations during mealtimes and play to prompt “yes/no” |

| |responses from Brinda. |

|Criteria: Brinda will respond with specific | |

|gestures indicating “yes” or “no” to at least 3|ITP provider will demonstrate ways to prompt communication:|

|questions about when and what she wants to eat | |

|or play, every day. |Gain Brinda’s attention, and make eye contact before |

| |speaking to her. |

| | |

| |Point to specific items, or pictures of them, when asking |

| |Brinda what she wants to eat or play with. |

| | |

| |Give her time to respond to each choice before repeating |

| |it. |

| | |

| |Provide the desired food/toy as soon as she makes a choice,|

| |along with smiles and other praise. |

2. Identifying IFSP outcomes to help children become socially competent members of groups (e.g. observe other children playing and join in; share toys with peers/siblings; initiate and respond to peers; show empathy for others)

Sam’s mother is interested in having her son, who has autism, transition to their public school’s autism program in the mornings and attend a community preschool near their home three afternoons per week. His IFSP outcomes have focused on helping him develop communication skills and interact with family members. Sam is very interested in animals, especially his dog, and also loves to line up his Pokemon cards in special sequences as long as no one else comes near him and touches his cards. If this happens, he usually screams in frustration. In preparation for going to school with other children, his mother and her infants and toddlers service coordinator visited the community preschool to observe their activities and schedule, and talk with the preschool director about Sam’s abilities and needs. Following her visit, the mother, a special educator from the autism program, and infants & toddlers staff met during a Transition Planning Meeting, and added this outcome to Sam’s IFSP:

|Outcome/criteria to help Sam join a group |Strategies |

|Sam will play with toys, books etc. while |FSN coordinator will help mother identify group settings for Sam |

|sitting near another child |(e.g., play date in their home, children’s room at the library, |

| |children’s group at church on Sunday, going to a nature center). |

|Criteria: Sam will play quietly within 3-4| |

|feet of at least two other children for 15|ITP provider will accompany Mother and Sam to group settings to |

|minutes, 4 times per week |observe his behavior and identify physical/verbal cues and |

| |behaviors that will help other caregivers include him in |

| |activities (e.g., bring enough familiar toys for Sam to play with|

| |and share; provide familiar snack such as animal crackers; |

| |Pokemon cards will be kept for independent play at home) |

| |. |

3. Identify IFSP outcomes to help children cope/adapt to situations and people (e.g. enjoy self at grandma’s house; learn to console oneself; make choices; increase variety of foods eaten)

Alejandro is a very energetic and talkative boy who would rather run, jump and shout than sit still. His parents would like him to attend Head Start when he turns three, and the teachers have asked them to help Alejandro find ways to calm himself down so that he can enjoy group activities when he enters Head Start. When excited or over stimulated, he paces back and forth and jumps up and down. At a Transition Planning Meeting held at Head Start when Alejandro was 29 months old, this outcome was added to his IFSP:

|Outcome/criteria to help Alejandro cope/adapt to |Strategies |

|situations and people | |

|Alejandro will look at picture books with his |Parents will keep a log of Alejandro’s activity levels,|

|brothers and parents |and triggers to over active behavior. |

| | |

|Criteria: Alejandro will sit quietly l and look at a|ITP provider will help parents identify and use calming|

|storybook for a minimum of 10 minutes, 4 times per |activities to engage him before “listening and |

|week |looking.” |

| | |

| |Mother will take Alejandro to their library’s story |

| |hour every week, with his older brother as a model. |

| | |

| |Alejandro will choose books to read; Dad will name |

| |people and objects and ask him to find specific items |

| |in the pictures. |

4. Identify IFSP outcomes to help children function more independently (eat/drink without adult assistance; amuse self while mother prepares food; show persistence in completing a small task)

Berk is 31 months old, and takes a lively interest in being a “big boy” like his brother and friends are doing. Berk can pull to stand and crawls slowly, due to his cerebral palsy. He is starting to use a walker, and likes to stand up, but can’t walk on his own yet. The child care center at his father’s work site will accept him into their 3 year old group when he leaves infants and toddlers, and will help him with getting to the bathroom and using the toilet, if he can indicate when he needs to use the bathroom. At his 6 month IFSP review, his parents and infants & toddlers providers identified this transition outcome to begin working on toilet training.

|IFSP outcome/criteria to help Berk function more |Strategies |

|independently | |

|Berk will let adults know that he wants to go to the|ITP provider will assist parents to set up a schedule |

|bathroom. |and find a child’s potty chair that is accessible for |

| |Berk. |

|Criteria: Berk will shake his head yes or no, when | |

|asked if he needs to “pee” at least 3 times per day |Mother will prompt Berk at periodic intervals during |

| |the day, and take him to the bathroom to sit on the |

| |potty chair. |

| | |

| |Family will read Berk stories with toilet training |

| |story themes. |

| | |

| |Family, especially brother, will offer praise about |

| |using the potty chair. |

Transition outcomes & strategies to support families

Insert tip box below: A primary transition outcome for all families: Parents are prepared to support their child through transition to an early childhood setting(s) when their child turns three.

Parents, as the primary decision makers about the “next steps” for their children, must consider the settings and environments they would like their children to participate in when they turn three.

Examples of strategies and activities to prepare families for transition:

• Assist families to consider “next steps” for their children at age 3

o A look at my child’s development (Maryland State Dept of Education)

• Convene a Transition Planning Meeting(s) when a child is between 27 and 33 months of age.

• Provide resources and information about the transition process, including eligibility for special education and other community early childhood programs:

o Stepping ahead to success (Maryland State Department of Education) link to recommended reading for families

o A transition guidebook: Taking the smooth road (Washington County, MD) (link to --- will be updated)

o Information to help plan my child’s individualized education program (Howard County, MD)

o What is transition? (Baltimore County Infants and Toddlers Program)

(link to --- TBA)

• Arrange, schedule and/or accompany families on visits to selected programs/settings. The following checklists, developed by family advocates, can help families evaluate potential settings/programs for their children :

o A look at places to step ahead (Maryland State Dept of Education)

o Questions families may ask about new programs (Maryland State Dept of Education)

o Community places and programs for three year olds ((Maryland State Dept of Education)

(Link to checklists)

• Link families with family-family support through the Family Support Network or Preschool Partners

o How the Family Support Network & Preschool Partners support parents during transition (Maryland State Dept of Education)

o Contact information for Family Support Network by county in Maryland (link to )

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