Your Blind Child’s Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) or Individualized Education Program (IEP)
From birth until they reach age 22, children who are blind or visually impaired and who are entitled to receive special education services have either an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) or an Individualized Education Program (IEP). If your child is under age three, she’ll have an IFSP; once your child reaches age three, she’ll then have an IEP. You may want to think of these documents as roadmaps—they lay out the services your child will receive as she moves from infancy through her childhood and are based on assessments of her strengths and needs. Both documents are developed by your child’s educational team, of which you are an important member. Because services that are not mentioned in IFSPs and IEPs are not usually required to be provided, it’s important that you take an active part in developing the IFSP or IEP for your child. You’ll probably find that understanding the law that sets out what is included in an IFSP or an IEP will be very helpful.
In this section, you can find information on:
- Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP): Early Intervention Services for Families Raising a Blind Child
- Individualized Education Program (IEP) Advice for Parents of Blind Children
- IEP and 504 Plan: What’s the Difference, and Which Is Most Appropriate for My Visually Impaired Child?
- Checklist: What to Do Before an IEP Meeting
- Checklist: What to Do at an IEP Meeting
- Checklist: What to Do After an IEP Meeting
- A Checklist of Key Points About IEPs
- Checklist: Keeping Educational Records for Your Blind or Visually Impaired Child