Parent Contact update

March 2024

Did you Register for the FCSN Visions of Community Conference?

This Saturday, March 9th, is the Federation for Children with Special Needs (FCSN) annual Visions of Community (VOC) Conference. We could not be more excited or proud to cover the registration expense for Parent Contacts. For those attending here are some tips from VOC veterans to help you get the most of your experience.

Download the "Whova" App on your mobile device. It's a great way to easily navigate the agenda, manage your sessions, chat with other attendees, and check in with vendors.

Log in early to check out the exhibitors. There are SO MANY incredible resources at this conference. Don't miss out on the chance to get a little information, make a new connection, or just poke around to learn what is out there.

Make sure to stretch. Okay, we get that this sounds silly, but it's a long day. Take a break. Grab a snack. Stay hydrated. Take care of yourself so you can stay present and receive the information being presented.

Resources & Opportunities

MEIC Conference Opportunity for Families

The Massachusetts Early Intervention Consortium (MEIC) Conference is being held on May 6 and 7, 2024. This is an excellent opportunity, and we would like you to be there! As a Parent Contact for your EI program, you are invited to attend this conference, and EIPLP will cover your registration. You may choose to attend on Monday in person in Marlborough, MA, on Tuesday virtually, or BOTH!

There will be an amazing opportunity on Monday for families to share their experience with the Early Childhood Personnel Center about what equitable, individualized, and responsive services look like. This session (B8 in the brochure) is only open to families at the conference, and we encourage you to attend and share your voice to help inform our national partners.

You can view the full brochure with all of the workshops and their descriptions here. When you know what workshops, you would like to register for, click the button below. This link will bring you to a secure form to complete so that the EIPLP can process your registration.

It is important that families from across the state participate in this event. If you are unable to attend either day of the conference, please let us know so we can invite another family from your EI program.

I'm Ready to Register!

NCSEAM Family Survey

The National Center for Special Education Accountability Monitoring (NCSEAM) Family Survey gathers feedback from families from Massachusetts who have received Early Intervention (EI) services.

Massachusetts has been surveying parents and families in Early Intervention programs for a long time. Over that time, the survey's focus has shifted from measuring satisfaction to evaluating the effectiveness of services based on outcomes and the impact it has on families. Outcomes are the results children and families experience from their services in Early Intervention (EI) through the Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP).

By sharing your experiences, you can help us improve Early Intervention (EI) services in Massachusetts to meet the needs of families like yours better.