Family Resources Coordinators (FRCs) play an integral role in Children’s Therapy Center’s Early Intervention (EI) program, coordinating services and resources on behalf of families. In fact for most families, they are not only the first point of contact but a lasting one, too.
“FRCs in our program coordinate and participate in each child’s developmental assessment as a part of the EI team,” says FRC manager Sandy Carlson. “They are there with families from the moment they arrive at CTC and act as their first point of contact during a time that, for many families, is stressful because they’ve just discovered their child has a delay or disability.”
FRCs partner with service providers to ensure families are receiving comprehensive and cohesive services.That partnership is a huge asset for families, says Sandy. “When FRCs are a part of the team from beginning to end, they gain a broad understanding of what the family needs and how the therapist or teacher is helping them achieve their goals. They can be so much more effective in their role when they have the whole picture.”
In addition to coordinating a child’s first assessment, FRCs work hard to facilitate the scheduling, development, and reviews of Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs) with the family and early intervention team. And when it comes time for a child to move out of EI at the age of 3, FRCs help families develop a plan to make the transition into school district or community programs a little easier.
“I try to share information about Early Intervention, school districts, and parents’ rights in a way that helps families become knowledgeable about what is possible in these systems and how to become better advocates for themselves,” FRC Anna Wanzer says. “I really love seeing how far things have progressed at the first six month review. Families know their children and their own strengths and needs best. As an FRC, it’s my goal to build a trusting relationship so that families feel comfortable asking me to walk part of their journey beside them in whatever role they think will meet their needs.”
Do you have what it takes to join our FRC team? We’re hiring!