EIGHT CORE VALUES

ALABAMA'S EARLY INTERVENTION SYSTEM

Parents, guardians and caregivers are the child’s first and most effective teachers. So it’s important that we partner with the family to serve and support them in their everyday activities with their children. EI partners with and supports the whole family where they spend the most time together.
EI professionals help the family understand the milestones their child should reach at each stage of their development and what might affect their child’s progress, like medical diagnoses or any developmental delays that have been identified. EI works with the family to develop a plan to include any services needed and some activities they can do with their child at home."
Once the child is determined eligible for EI services, a service coordinator close to the child’s home will help the family put to gether an Individualized Family Service Plan, or IFSP. The plan will include the team of professionals, other family members, caregivers, and friends that will be involved, and will set the goals that, together, they will help the child reach. The IFSP changes as the child grows and progresses toward achieving the plan’s goals.
EI services are provided in a location where the child and family typically would be on a normal day, like at home, in childcare, and on playgrounds. Natural environments also include the daily activities and routines of the family.
EI empowers and equips parents and caregivers with the skills to meet their child’s developmental needs. Together, they will work to carry out activities on a daily basis so that the child and family will meet their set goals
Everyone involved in the child’s life works together to help them reach their goals. That includes the EI team, parents, caregivers, healthcare providers, childcare providers, therapists, community agencies, and any other specialists the team determines will help the child’s progress.
All EI services and therapeutic activities are based on the family’s routines - the activities unique to the family that happen naturally and regularly. This evidence-based method of service delivery has shown to be most effective in helping families and the child reach set goals.
The EI team provides evidence-based services, meaning they pull together the best available research and knowledge from professional experts, as well as from the shared experience of children and their caregivers. These evidence-based practices help the team identify and provide services that have been proven to achieve positive outcomes for children and families.
 
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