To the maximum extent appropriate for your child, early intervention services must be provided in natural environments including the home and community settings which include children without disabilities.^[1] Therefore, any early intervention services needed to meet your child’s needs may be provided in the home. Your child’s IFSP must include a statement of the services they need to meet their unique needs and of ways of providing services in natural environments. 

Under state law, infants and toddlers are entitled to home-based services that include, but are not limited to: 

1. observing the infant’s behavior and development in their natural environment; 
2. activities that are developmentally appropriate for the infant and are specially designed, based on the infant’s exceptional needs, to enhance their development. Those activities shall be developed to conform with the infant’s individualized family service plan and to ensure that they do not conflict with their medical needs; 
3. demonstrating developmentally appropriate activities for the infant to the parents/guardians/other education rights holders, siblings, and other caregivers, as designated by the parent/guardian/other education rights holder; 
4. interacting with the family members and other caregivers, as designated by the parent/guardian/other education rights holder, to reinforce their development of skills necessary to promote the infant’s development; 
5. discussing parental concerns related to the infant and the family, and supporting parents/guardians/other education rights holders in coping with their infant’s needs; 
6. assisting parents/guardians/other education rights holders to solve problems, to seek other services in their community, and to coordinate the services provided by various agencies.^[2]

Since July 2009, some or all of the behavior intervention training was home-based and individualized. Now, when the IFSP is developed, reviewed, or modified, the team must consider the use of group training for parents/guardians/other education rights holders on behavior intervention in place of in-home individual parent/guardian/other education rights holder training.^[3]

1. 34 C.F.R. Sec. 303.13(a)(8).[↩]
2. Cal. Ed. Code Sec. 56426.1.[↩]
3. Cal. Gov. Code Sec. 95020(d)(5).[↩]