How the Early Intervention Process Works
Early Intervention was created to provide children who have developmental delays and disabilities with the support and services necessary for them to thrive. The ECCM Early Intervention Program takes advantage of the natural learning opportunities that occur throughout the daily routine of the child and their family.
Now that you have taken the first steps in helping your child succeed, it is important to understand the process involved. Doing this will ensure that you and your child are getting the most out of the program.
1. Find a Service Coordinator
Finding a service coordinator is one of the first steps to getting your child the care they need. They are there to provide any information and resources that will help your child succeed, and assist with any issues that arise. After you are connected with a service coordinator, they will determine which services your child is eligible for by doing either a qualifying diagnosis or through a multi-disciplinary evaluation.
Once the developmental delays are identified, the service coordinator will work with you to develop a plan of therapy which can best help your child. They will then help you find a list of qualified providers specific to your therapy plan, and connect you to there services. They will be in contact with you throughout the entire human services system, ensuring that your child will receive the best care possible.
2. Determine Child’s Eligibility
The services provided to the children and their families differ based on the individual needs and strengths of each child. Any children from birth to age five who have special needs due to developmental delays and disabilities eligible to receive Early Intervention. This is determined by conducting either a qualifying diagnosis or a multi-disciplinary evaluation.
The screening process is conducted by a group of professionals who have different areas of training and experience. They will evaluate your child by observing them, asking your child to do things, talking to you and your child, and using other methods that will help the team find out how your child functions in the five areas of development. These categories include physical development, cognitive development, communication development, social or emotional development, and adaptive development.
3. Selection of Early Intervention Service
The services your child receives will be selected in collaboration between the child's parents and the service coordinator. We will connect your child with services such as parent education, support services, developmental therapies, and other family-centered services that may assist in your child's development.
These programs may be provided in many different settings to allow for maximum comfort. Some of which include the child’s home, child care center, nursery school, playgroup, Head Start Program, early childhood special education classroom or other settings that are familiar to the family. The Early Intervention Program is designed to be embedded into the typical routines and activities within the family, giving the child the environment and support that will allow them to strive.
ECCM is Here to Help
Here at ECCM, we will tirelessly work with you to ensure your child receives the support and services they need to thrive. The ECCM Early Intervention program promotes the collaboration between parents and service providers to enhance the child’s development in every way possible.