This guide is designed to help parents make important decisions in the development of the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP), which outlines the partnership between the family with a special needs child and the practitioners who provide early intervention services. The guide begins with a definition of an IFSP, followed by discussions of: the contents of an IFSP; sharing of information about the child and about the family's strengths and needs; the IFSP planning meeting; and changing the IFSP. A sample IFSP format is provided. The guide concludes with a list of organizational resources for parents, including a national information center, regional parent training and information centers, and statewide parent information centers. (Contains 20 references.) (JDD)