Quality NEEDS ASSESSMENT Reporting Criteria
NEEDS ASSESSMENT reports serve a main purpose in the First Steps program:
to assist with IFSP planning.
A NEEDS ASSESSMENT can be requested prior to the initial IFSP meeting or any other IFSP meeting. Typically, NEEDS ASSESSMENTS should be INFORMAL meaning that they will not involve a domain-specific tool or scores. Sometimes, a NEEDS ASSESSMENT may be formal and involve scores. Either way, a NEEDS ASSESSMENT should be a gathering of additional information that is needed to assist the IFSP team with developing/reviewing the IFSP. Service Coordinators may have a list of specific questions that need to be answered as a result of the NEEDS ASSESSMENT. It is expected that if questions are asked that they will be answered by the provider in the NEEDS ASSESSMENT report so that the information can be used for IFSP Planning.
Because NEEDS ASSESSMENTS are requested when more information is needed for IFSP planning, each assessment is unique and individualized based on what is going on for each child and family. There is no standard form or template for the report, but the criteria listed below should be considered so that quality reports are generated. A NEEDS ASSESSMENT may NOT always be needed, but if the IFSP team needs more information for IFSP planning, the service coordinator may request an assessment. It is the SC who makes the request for a NEEDS ASSESSMENT via a “Provider Service Request Form,” not a provider. If the report mentions why the assessment was requested and who requested it, the report should explain that more information was needed in a specific area for IFSP planning and that the SC made the request.
A copy of the report should be given to the family, so it is important to use family-friendly language that is easy to understand and not offensive or harsh. If a provider has specific concerns and/or impressions/opinions about what they saw during the assessment, those thoughts should be shared with the Family Service Coordinator outside of the assessment report. For example, words like “atypical,” “significant,” and “abnormal” can be alarming to families. When NEEDS ASSESSMENT reports are written and reviewed, we should be considering the audience and writing them knowing that parents will read them. We should keep in mind the feelings of our parents when writing the reports and consider what words would be helpful and hurtful. Instead of saying “Jimmie has significant regression with feeding skills that are atypical for his development and this continued pattern is sure to impact him negatively,” you could say “Jimmie used to eat some solid foods with his family but will now only take a bottle. His parents are concerned because he is 12 months old and they would like him to be eating some of their family meals with them.”
Any assessment protocols that are used/considered can be discussed in a summary section of the report but should be written in a way that families will understand. For example, families may not understand all of the jargon involved with sensory profiles, so that needs to be written in a way that is very easy to understand. If the SPOE receives a NEEDS ASSESSMENT report that is not of quality standards or is questionable, the service coordinator will contact the provider and have a discussion about changes that need to be made. It is our expectation that the need to return a report to a provider for changes will be rare after this NEEDS ASSESSMENT Reporting Criteria has been shared with providers. We are expecting high quality reports with rich, individualized family friendly detail!
NEEDS ASSESSMENT protocols and/or notes should be submitted to the service coordinator with the report. These should be submitted on or before the due date on the “Provider Service Request” form.
What Quality NEEDS ASSESSMENT reports should always include:
- at the top of the report: child name, DOB, age at time of assessment, date of assessment, caregivers name(s) and contact information, service coordinator, and provider name
- statements of family daily routines & how they are impacted (not just the day of the assessment)
- suggested activities that families could use immediately during their routines
- suggested resources such as books or websites are okay to include
- information specific to the individual child & family; not cut & paste or cookie cutter
- statements written in family friendly/centered language that do not emphasize the negative with "harsh" words
- detailed description of what was observed during time spent with the child and family
- quick turn around time - due date on the “Provider Service Request” Form from the SC
- likes & dislikes including motivators for the child
- fears of the child
- specific examples of skills from the parent of caregiver
- a mention if the child has had any opportunities or exposure to a specific skill/task prior to the assessment
What Quality NEEDS ASSESSMENT reports should not include:
- physical description of the child – this is not appropriate!
- language & statements that are not accurate or do not match the findings
- narrative information that is not specific to the child
- generic listings of skills & activities not specific to the particular child and family routines
- recommendations or referrals to specific physicians; it is okay to suggest follow-up with a pediatrician, but “referrals” to specialists should not be made in reports (separate conversations with families are appropriate)
- statements that list too much of what a child is "not doing"
- negative or harsh language such as "significant delay, abnormal, regression, atypical"
- spelling errors, grammatical errors (including child/parent names and child's date of birth),
- all lowercase/uppercase words
- therapeutic/clinical/medical/discipline-specific jargon
- references to "area or concern" or "area of weakness"
- recommendations for therapy, assessments, or other services – these are IFSP team decisions & should not be included in the body of a report because they suggest that First Steps will provide what is recommended which cannot be known prior to the IFSP team discussion
- scores (unless a formal assessment with scores was requested)
- if a formal assessment was implemented, do not list skills directly from the assessment protocol
