Resources in California for Speech Disorders in Children

State Resources
Speech Disorders in Children - California Resources

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One of the most critical components of successfully treating speech disorders in children is family involvement. Families are crucial; they model correct patterns of speech, use at-home speech therapy techniques, and encourage the child to practice his speech therapy lessons at home with the use of activities like the exercises in Speech Buddies University. But sometimes, being a parent is utterly exhausting. In fact, the working parent demographic was labeled as having one of the top five most stressful jobs in America. And that’s before you consider the demands of treating speech disorders in children.

That’s why you can – and should – take advantage of every federal, state, and nongovernmental resource available to your family. If you live in California, you have at your disposal programs such as: Early Start, California Community Parent Resource Centers (CPRCs), Parent Training and Information Centers (PTIs), and much, much more. And if you ever have trouble tracking down a local resource or organization, don’t hesitate to call your local school district or parent support group for assistance.

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Writing Actionable IFSP Outcomes

Legal Issues
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If your child qualifies for speech therapy and other services through an early intervention program, the service coordinator for the program will schedule a meeting to write his Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP). The IFSP details the services that your child is to receive. You are your child’s best advocate and you understand his needs well. You and your entire family are strongly encouraged to get actively involved in the development of the IFSP. The IFSP is written with the view that the entire family is essential to the child’s progress, so it takes a family-centered approach. That is, your child’s needs will be identified, along with the needs of the entire family in supporting your child.

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Writing the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP)

Legal Issues
Early Intervention Diagram

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What Is It?

If your child is in school and requires special education services, he’ll have an Individualized Education Program (IEP). But it is also legally required that younger children have access to needed services and support. This is where the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) comes into play. The IFSP is a written document that all children have when they qualify for Early Intervention (EI). (Early Intervention is the version of special education for younger children.) The document is customized to your child’s specific needs. However, unlike the IEP, the IFSP also takes into account the needs of your entire family insofar as familial support is crucial to attaining a favorable outcome for your child.

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Navigating the Early Intervention Process

Legal Issues
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The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) provides for free speech therapy within the public school system to all children who have a qualifying disability. But what if your child isn’t even in school yet? If you have a child under the age of three and you suspect that he might have a speech disorder, you can have him evaluated and treated with the Early Intervention program.

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