FIPP serves children aged 0-5 years and women who are pregnant in Alexander, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, and McDowell counties in western North Carolina. Any family can request FIPP support: we do not have specific testing or other requirements for you or your child to receive services.
FIPP’s team consists of experts in early childhood education, early childhood special education, nursing, nutrition, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech-language pathology. Our team works with you to choose the person who will work best with your family. That person keeps the entire team updated on your child’s and family’s success in reaching your goals and can connect you with other team members as needed.
At FIPP, we always go to the places a child would normally be, whether that is a home, park, childcare, restaurant, or any other place that is important to your family. We begin by seeing how things normally look, and then we help families think of new ways to support children during daily life. Expect FIPP providers to ask questions to learn more about your child and family and to demonstrate and teach you ways to help children learn and develop. Between visits, you will always have a plan to use what you learn in your everyday life.
Think about your child’s interests, daily activities, and what helps or is challenging for your child during these routines. FIPP team members want to see what daily life is really like for your family and will support you in routines like mealtime, bathtime, and other activities that are important to you.
Yes. FIPP services are always completely voluntary.
We welcome any and all important people in your child’s life! All caregivers, siblings, pets, friends, teachers (in a classroom visit), and other important people are invited to be a part of visits. FIPP will need a legal guardian to complete paperwork for the initial enrollment visit. Children learn best when they are around the people they see every day, so please feel free to involve the whole family in home visits.
We don’t believe that any visit is “typical.” Instead, home visits will end when you have a plan for how you will use what you have learned in your daily routines. Most home visits average 45-60 minutes, but every family is different.
FIPP team members will plan visits with you to meet your specific needs, rather than set a specific schedule. We will talk about how often visits should be to help your child learn, and we can change that schedule as often as needed.
We are committed to seeing children in everyday routines. Because of this, FIPP team members can provide visits at a variety of days and times throughout the week. We are also able to provide supports in childcare or schedule visits around your work schedule.
Yes! FIPP’s team of cutting-edge professionals can provide specific therapy evaluations as well as general developmental testing. FIPP’s FAST team also works with physicians to diagnose children with autism spectrum disorder.
I’m having a baby, can FIPP help?
Yes! FIPP provides supports for women who are pregnant in preparing for a new baby. Once the child is born, FIPP can also provide parenting supports.
Yes! FIPP’s team of cutting-edge professionals can provide specific therapy evaluations as well as general developmental testing. FIPP’s FAST team also works with physicians to diagnose children with autism spectrum disorder.
Yes! FIPP provides supports for women who are pregnant in preparing for a new baby. Once the child is born, FIPP can also provide parenting supports.
We do something even better! FIPP provides parenting supports in a family’s natural environment that can follow Department of Social Services (DSS) case plans or support parents who simply want to learn more about how to help their children learn and develop.
FIPP team members are trained in resource-based practices, and can help families already enrolled in FIPP services find, access, and use community resources. We work to connect you with your community to make sure that you have a long term plan to help your child and family succeed.
FIPP is home to the NC Assistive Technology Loan Program, which provides trials and assessment for children needing assistive technology. FIPP team members are also trained in helping families find and purchase equipment they need using insurance or other funding sources.
You do not need a doctor’s referral to receive FIPP services. FIPP team members can provide developmental information and support to families of children with any level of ability. With permission, we can communicate with your physician to make sure that everyone works together.