Family Newsletter

Welcome to the start of the 2026-27 school year! If you haven’t yet reconnected with your Service Coordinator/ Provider and you’re wondering when services will start for your child, please reach out to them. They can let you know when services/ home visits/ preschool will resume for your child. We hope everyone has a great year!

The school year can be a big change in routine if your summer schedule has been more laid back and flexible. If your child struggles with routines, like getting ready to leave the house in the morning, it may be helpful to start practicing the routine the week before school starts if possible. You could plan park visits or other outings to start around the same time as preschool for the week so your child can practice waking up and getting ready on time.

Setting an earlier bedtime may be necessary to help your child wake up on time for preschool. Preschoolers need 10-13 hours of sleep per day, including naps. Children under age 3 need even more sleep. Work on keeping a consistent bedtime to help your child get enough sleep.

Using visual aids for routines can be helpful for many children. Visuals for your child's morning routine might include getting dressed, breakfast, teeth brushing, and putting on shoes. You can ask your child's service coordinator to provide you with visuals or make your own. See the attached information from the National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations for visuals you can print on your own:

What is an IFSP? IFSP stands for Individualized Family Service Plan. It is the legal document that guides your child's special education services with Early Childhood CARES.

What is an IFSP meeting? An IFSP meeting is any meeting with your child's educational team where changes are being made to the IFSP document. IFSP meetings are required to be held annually, and can be held more frequently if changes are needed. A parent has the right to request an IFSP meeting at any time.

What is the annual IFSP meeting? The annual IFSP meeting is the legally required annual meeting to review and update your child's IFSP. At this meeting, you and the rest of the educational team will review your child's progress on current goals and discuss new goals and any changes that need to be made to their services.

What is a mid-cycle review? A mid-cycle review is a review of your child's progress on their IFSP goals. This happens at least once during the IFSP year/cycle.

Beneath this article you will find two PDFs you can download to help you prepare for your child's next IFSP meeting.The first is a fillable form to help you prepare to answer questions during the meeting and the second form defines commonly used terms that may be used during the meeting.

Join a welcoming space each second Wednesday of the month, 6-8pm. Connect with parents, learn about resources with Escudo Latino and Bridging Communities, and discuss special education with FACT Oregon. Contact Rosa Belem Ochoa Consulting to learn more: (541) 601-9113 rosabelemochoaconsulting@gmail.com

As Oregon’s Parent Training and Information Center for Special Education, FACT Oregon offers extensive support and resources to families. One of their latest resource is an inclusive education toolkit for families of young children with disabilities. You can view it on their website here: FACT Oregon Toolkit.

FACT Oregon has an upcoming training on creating your child's one page profile coming up on September 2 from 6-8 pm via zoom. Learn what a one page profile is and how it can be used in multiple settings including medical settings, school, and beyond. Learn more and register here.

ABCs for Little Ones in EI/ECSE is an online training on September 15, 5:30-7 pm. This training is an overview of early intervention and early special education for families who are wanting to learn more about eligibility, IFSPs, and how to support their child's learning.

All About ABLE accounts: Helping People with Disabilities Build Financial Security, Wednesday September 16, 12-1 pm, via zoom.

• Free carnival, September 12, 1-4 pm at Arc Park, 4181 E Street in Springfield. Join The Arc Lane County for free games, entertainment, prizes and fun for people of all ages.

Safe Lane Transportation Coalition provides offers free child passenger safety checks to families in Lane County. Caregivers can schedule an appointment for a one-on-one safety check. See this page to submit a request for an appointment.

Need help finding emergency shelter? Lane County has a Shelter Finder website to assist individuals and families looking for shelter. Click here to visit the site.

Parenting Now has a comprehensive community resource guide available for families with information on basic needs, counseling, family education & support, and more. You can download a PDF of their 2026-27 resource guide below.

Email: eccares@uoregon.edu
Website: https://earlychildhoodcares.uoregon.edu
Location: 1500 West 12th Avenue, Eugene, OR, 97402 USA
Phone: (541) 346-2578
Facebook: facebook.com/earlychildhoodcares