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Improving Systems, Practices, and Outcomes

Family Outcomes Surveys

The original Family Outcomes Survey (FOS) was developed and validated by the Early Childhood Outcomes (ECO) Center to assess five family outcomes and the helpfulness of early intervention. There were multiple versions of the original Family Outcomes Survey, some for parents of young children with special needs and some for parents of all young children.

In 2010, upon request from states, the ECO Center developed an updated version of the FOS for Part C programs. The Family Outcomes Survey-Revised (FOS-R): Part C was designed to better assist Part C programs in measuring family outcomes and determining the helpfulness of early intervention programs for federal reporting and program improvement purposes. The core concepts in the FOS-R remain the same as in the original FOS, with the addition of more detailed information to guide program improvement activities and a modified survey format. Both the original and revised versions have been translated into Spanish as well as additional languages. Special thanks to our colleagues in Texas, Minnesota, and Washington for assisting with these translations. The ECTA Center supports the use of both the FOS (2006) and FOS-R (2010). These tools have been tested to ensure sound psychometric integrity that can be used to document family outcomes and identify areas for program improvement. If a state would like to adapt these surveys, we encourage you to reach out to staff and the ECTA Center to discuss potential adaptations and implications for producing reliable and valid data.

Please contact staff at the ECTA Center if you wish to adapt the survey.

Survey Versions

Family Outcomes Survey Revised: Part C (2010)

The Family Outcomes Survey—Revised (FOS-R) was developed in 2010 prompted by states' needs to:

  1. create a new format that would be easier for parents to understand;
  2. revise and expand the survey items to provide more information for states to use in planning for program improvement; and
  3. demonstrate acceptable psychometric properties.

Details about changes can be found in the FAQs, below. Please note: The ECTA Center will continue to support the use of the Family Outcomes Survey.

The Frequently Asked Questions on the Family Outcomes Survey- Revised provides a brief overview on the revisions to FOS. It describes the survey changes, scoring recommendations, OSEP reporting, and answers other questions about the revision.

The Family Outcomes Survey is available in several languages:

Family Outcomes Survey: Versions for Children with Special Needs (2006)

Part C (Birth to 3)

Part B, Section 619 (Preschool)

Family Outcomes Survey: Versions for All Children (2007)

Birth to 3

Preschool