Tool 6                                               Conduct a Training Workshop

 
Program Action: Conduct a Training Workshop
Purpose
Families learn about transition planning meetings. They prepare for an upcoming   transition by identifying how their support network could change and identifying information to share with a transition planning team.

Staff learn about requirements for transition planning. They work with parents to identify any gaps in services that may occur when families leave the program.

Suggested Materials

Tool 6-Parent Action: Plan for Ongoing Services
Overhead of Parent Action side 1
Example(s) of a Family Map
Example(s) of completed planning sheet (Parent Action side 5)
Sign-up sheet for transition planning meetings

Tips for Leaders

    · Talk with staff who have participated in transition planning meetings to make sure you understand how they are usually run. They can also give you some good examples of action steps to include on sample planning sheets.
    · Follow the directions on side 3 of the Parent Action pages to map your own Family Support Network. This will help you explain how to make and interpret maps more easily.
    · Be sure to keep personal information confidential. For more information   about the kinds of transition planning meetings your program can conduct refer to Planning for Transitions.

    · Allow 90 to 120 minutes for the workshop.

    Leading the Workshop: Use each side of the Parent Action pages to conduct the training activity
     
     
     

    Introduction
    Ask participants to introduce themselves and tell what they hope to learn from the workshop. Share the workshop purpose.
     
     
     

    Side 1
    Make an overhead and give participants a copy of this page. Review the information about transition planning requirements. Talk about the transition planning meetings your program offers.
     
     
     

    Side 2
    Explain who may attend a transition planning meeting. Ask participants what kind of information they think each person in the meeting might share. Encourage participants to give several examples of different kinds of input parents, senders, receivers, and service providers can provide. List their ideas on newsprint. Then share other ideas from the Parent Action page.
     
     
     

    Side 3
    Use the background information to explain what a Family Support Network is and how Family Mapping can help parents prepare for transition meetings. Give participants a sheet of paper and guide them through the steps of making their own map.
     
     
     

    Side 4
    Have participants privately answer the questions about their own network. As a group, discuss the questions and talk about the kinds of supports that families rely on. Share information on other community resources available.
     
     
     

    Side 5
    Divide participants into small groups and give them a sample completed planning sheet. First have groups discuss how the parent could follow through to make sure that every one does their part. Then ask the groups to share their ideas.

    Conclusion

    Ask parents to sign up to schedule a transition planning meeting. Give blank planning sheets to use during upcoming meetings. Suggest parents review the Parent Action pages again before meeting with their team.

Tool 6                                                Plan for Ongoing Services

Parent Action: Plan for Ongoing Services

Purpose: You can take an active role in transition planning.  Find out how to work with a team to be sure family services you need will continue.
 

    Playing a role in transition planning
    Sometimes the biggest transition challenge is making sure that services continue. For example, if your child receives speech therapy in Head Start, how will she receive this service in the new school? Parents, staff, and community members can help make sure there are no gaps in services when they work together to plan for transitions.

 
Head Start Programs must:
  • Meet with parents before they transition out of the program to help them understand their child's progress
  • Help parents communicate with teachers and other school personnel
  • Coordinate the transfer of records with receiving programs and schools
  • Begin planning each child's transition out of Early Head Start at least six months before the child turns three
Head Start Program Performance Standards, Sections 1304.40(h) and 1304.41(c) 
Know your family's rights

If your child has a disability, transition planning teams must:

  • Include parents in the process
  • Write a transition plan
  • Develop an IEP (Individualized Education Plan) for children age three years or an IFSP (Individualized Family Service Plan) for children under three
  • Begin planning at least six months before the child's third birthday

 
Transition Planning Teams involve families, senders (current staff), receivers (new staff), and community service providers.  These teams meet to share information and help make transitions smooth and their families.

 
Action Step: Use a checklist for sharing information during 
transition planning meetings 
You can share information about:
  • Your child's skills, interests, and experiences
  • Goals for your child and yourself
  • Your family's values
  • How you have been involved in your child's education
  • How current supports and services have helped you reach your goals
  • What services or supports you are requesting begin or continue
  • Other

 You can ask senders to share information about:
  • Your child's progress in the program
  • How the program benefited from your family's contributions
  • Program curriculum, services provided, and transition activities
  • Teacher ideas for making your child's transition out of the old program easier
You can ask receivers to share information about:
  • Registration requirements
  • Program curriculum, goals, services, and transition activities
  • Teacher ideas for making your child's transition into the new program easier
You can ask service providers to share information about:
  • Services they provide
  • Requirements for continuing services
  • Other community resources to contact

 
Background Information: Your Family Support Network
You probably have at least one other person you depend on to help you. It may be a friend who watches your children while you do errands or a helpful nurse from the community clinic. You may also use community programs and services such as job training, referrals, and dental care. All these people, places, and services make up your Family Support Network. Some families have used Family Mapping to prepare for a move to another setting. It helps them see the community connections they can build on to continue receiving services.
Action Step: Map out your family support network
  • On a blank sheet of paper, make a large circle for your family and write the names of the family members in your home.
  • In small circles around the family circle write the names of other people who support you, including close family members who don't live in your home, baby sitters, or teachers.
  • Make and label squares on your map to show the community places you visit, such as church, school, or community centers.
  • Make and label triangles on your map to show the community services you use, such as health clinics, family service agencies, or community food banks.
  • Which people, places, and services give you support? Make a solid line connecting your family circle with the circles, triangles, and squares where you have connections. The heavier the line, the stronger the support.
  • Where else do you get support? Make a dashed line to connect your family circle with the people, places, and services whose support is not quite as strong.

 
The sample family map tot he left shows that this single mother takes advantage of many community programs.  She has drawn a heavy solid line to show she can rely on her best friend and church friends.  The dotted lines she drew show that there may be problems with some services and relationships.

On goal for this family might be to improve the family's access to health care.  The parent could be referred to community services not listed.

Adapted with permission from Community Unit School District #300, Carpentersville, IL. 
Originally adapted from CESA 5, Wisconsin Transition Project.

 
Action Step: Review your family map
               
Your family map will help you see all of the people and services that make up your personal family support network. After completing the map, talk with other family members, friends, staff, and service providers to help you answer these questions.

1. What people, places, and services support your family?
 
 
 
 
 

2. How can you strengthen the weak connections?
 
 
 
 
 

3. How does this network of family, friends, programs, and services help you reach your goals?
 
 
 
 
 

4. When your child moves to a new program, how will your network change?
 
 
 
 
 

5. Who could you add to your network?
 
 
 
 
 

Note: For additional activities related to family mapping, refer to Building Supportive Communities from the Training Guides for the Head Start Learning Community.

 
Action Step: Develop your transition plan

After all of your preparation, you are ready for a transition planning meeting. It may be necessary to schedule more than one meeting over a period of time in order to speak with all members who play a role in your plan.

1) Decide what action you will take and what the responsibilities of the sending and receiving staff will be.

2) Find out what records and information will need to be transferred. Who will share them and when?

3) List other action steps your team will take and write the name of the person responsible for completing  the job. Also write in the date when the task will be done.

Use the chart below to keep track of the decisions made at a transition planning meeting.
 

Action to take:
Person responsible:
Date completed:

Action Step: Follow through

Follow the plan and check back to find out if it is working. If the plan isn't supporting your family, decide what other things your team can do. You might meet again as a team, meet with one other team member, or ask others to help you.


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