Family Action Plans are perhaps the most critical component of Responsive Teaching. No matter how effective an intervention session has been, if the information provided in Responsive Teaching is not integrated into children’s daily routine, it will have little impact on children’s developmental functioning.

Family Action Plans are the one part of the intervention session where parents to take the leading role. After the parent has been presented with information and given the opportunity to practice Responsive Teaching Strategies, it is up to them to decide how to follow through with this information at home. The Family Action Plan is the point during the intervention session where the parent and interventionist discuss how to go about this process.

The kinds of activities included in Family Action Plans are based upon where parents are with regard to understanding, accepting and using the Responsive Teaching program. For parents who have questions or doubts about this approach, it may include activities such as:

1. thinking about information presented during the session,
2. discussing intervention concepts with their spouse or others who are important sources of support or
3. observing the child in different situations.

For parents who are just learning Responsive Teaching Strategies it could include:

1. practicing strategies during focused play activities or
2. integrating strategies into daily routines.

Still for other parents who want to expand their children’s opportunities for responsive engagement it might include:

1. teaching others (spouse, siblings, relatives) to use strategies and
2. discussing the intervention program with other professionals who are working with the child.

Family Action Plans specify what parents are going to do, when and where they are going to do it, and for what duration of time. If Family Action Plans are nonspecific (e.g., “integrate strategy into the daily routine”), parents may fail to remember to carry them out. However, when FAPs are specific and include reminders of what to do and when(e.g., “Follow the child’s lead” while feeding the child his lunch), parents are more likely to follow through with the plan.

The Family Action Plan plays a critical role in assuring that Responsive Teaching will impact the child throughout his daily experiences. FAPs are the starting and end point for each intervention session. Intervention sessions begin with a review of how the Family Action Plan went since the previous session. Interventionists discuss with parents what they did, how it felt, and what, if any, impact it had on their child. If parents had difficulty carrying out their plan, then there should be a discussion of the factors that might have cause this. If the parent did not understand information discussed in the previous session, then interventionists need to review this information and answer the parent’s questions. If other issues interfered with following the Family Action Plan, this information should be used in developing the Family Action Plan for the current intervention session.