The purpose of the first part of this document is to describe the process involved in developing an Individual Support Services Plan (ISSP) in order to assist all agencies and service providers collaborate with parents/caregivers, children/youth and/or each other when one or more agency is involved with a child, regardless of the child’s setting. The overall purpose of the ISSP process is to ensure continuity of service at all developmental stages in a child’s/youth’s life.
The remaining parts of the document address issues regarding writing an Individual Support Services Plan (ISSP) for a child/youth. The latter sections address the ISSP process for multiple settings, recognizing that the plan must reflect collaboration with individuals when and if they are providing consultative or direct services to a child/youth. This is necessary to enhance each service providers efforts, particularly when programs and services are being provided by more than one Division of an agency/department or multiple agencies. Otherwise, players might be working at cross-purposes ----- and vice versa.
This document acknowledges the principles of the Model for Coordination of Services to Children and Youth with Special Needs in Newfoundland and Labrador, endorsed in the Classroom Issues Report (June, 1995) by the Departments of Education, Health, Social Services and Justice, Newfoundland and Labrador Teacher’s Association and the Newfoundland and Labrador School Boards Association. This document also acknowledges that a support services planning process is a process utilized by many service providers in the development of Individual Support Services Plans. For example, in Social Services, as is known, a General Service Plan (GSP), in Health as a Treatment/Care Plan and Education , the term Individual Program Plan (IPP) or Individual Support Plan (ISP) is used.
For the purpose of this document, the term "child" will refer to any child/youth/ student. Also the term "parent" refers to parent(s) and or guardian(s). "Goals" refer to "outcomes" and "objectives" to "keystage outcomes".
To complete the child/youth profile referred to in this document the team will need to refer to the document "Profiling the Needs of Children/Youth in Newfoundland and Labrador