Basics of the Early Intervention Handout 14

Process under Part C of IDEA

Early intervention is designed to help infants and toddlers with developmental delays or diagnosed
disabilities. The EI program is available in every State and is coordinated by the State’s lead agency.

The lead agency must ensure that all infants and toddlers with disabilities in the State who may have a
developmental delay or a diagnosed disability are identified and evaluated. This agency conducts public
awareness and child find activities throughout the State to let residents know that early intervention
services are available to help eligible infants and toddlers with disabilities.

Steps 1-2 look at how an infant or toddler is identified as having a disability and in need of early inter-
vention services, including the evaluation process and the determination of the child’s eligibility.

Hospital staff, physicians, healthcare providers, childcare providers,

An infant or toddler and parents are the people most likely to interact with and observe
may have a newborn children, infants, and toddlers on a regular basis. Any of
developmental delay these individuals may notice that an infant or toddler possibly has
or disability. a developmental delay or a diagnosed condition that may result in
developmental delays such that early intervention services can help.
Concerned, someone It’s important to act and connect the child and family with the early
refers child to Part C. intervention system. But how?

Each State has a referral system to ensure that infants and toddlers
suspected of having a developmental delay or disability can easily
be referred to the early intervention (EI) system. There are two
main ways that children are connected with EI:

• Primary referral sources such as physicians and hospitals and other

programs refer the child to the EI program through the State’s
referral system.

• Parents can contact the EI program directly (which is sometimes

called child find in the State) and ask that their infant or toddler
be evaluated.

Parental consent is needed before the child may be evaluated.

The infant or toddler Once the parents give their consent, the child is evaluated in five
is evaluated to major developmental areas to see: (a) if he or she meets the State’s
determine eligibility. definition of delay or disability, and (b) to determine the child’s
eligibility for EI services. The five developmental areas are:

• cognitive development
• physical development, including vision and hearing
• communication development
• social or emotional development
• adaptive development
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Process under Part C of IDEA

Indepth assessments are conducted to determine the child’s

continued unique needs and the EI services appropriate to address those
needs. With approval of the family members involved, assessments
of family members are also conducted to identify the resources,
concerns, and priorities of the family related to the development of
the child.

The evaluation and assessment process must be completed within 45

days of the child being referred to the EI program. The initial
meeting to write an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) for an
eligible child and family (see Step 3) must also be held within
those 45 days.

Based on the results of administering all evaluation procedures, the

qualified personnel who conduct the evaluation determine if the
infant or toddler is eligible for EI services.

• If yes (the child is eligible), a meeting is scheduled to develop an

IFSP.

• If no (the child is found not eligible), parents are informed in

writing of that determination and their right to dispute it (called
prior written notice).

Step 3 looks at what happens immediately after an infant or toddler is determined eligible for EI services.

Once the infant or toddler is found eligible for EI, a meeting is held
Initial IFSP meeting is with the parent to identify appropriate services and develop an
held, & the initial IFSP IFSP for the child. Parents receive notice of the initial IFSP meeting
is written. and other information in a document called the prior written notice.
They also receive written information about their parental rights,
which is called the procedural safeguards notice. The meeting to
develop the IFSP must be conducted in the family’s native
language or other mode of communication (e.g., sign language),
unless it is clearly not feasible to do so.

The group that develops the IFSP is known as the IFSP Team. This
team includes the child’s parents, advocates or other family mem-
bers as requested by the parents, the service coordinator assigned
to the family, individuals involved in the child’s evaluation, and, as
appropriate, the individuals who will provide the EI services to the
child. The IFSP must include certain information, such as:

• the current levels of developmental functioning of the child;

• the family’s resources, priorities, and concerns about such

development;
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Process under Part C of IDEA

• the child’s measurable results or outcomes to be achieved;

continued
• the EI services identified as appropriate for the child based on
his or her needs;

• the settings where EI services will be provided; and

• other services the child will receive.

Early intervention services are to be provided in natural environ-

ments to the maximum extent appropriate. Natural environments
are settings that are natural or typical for a same-aged infant or
toddler without a disability. Examples may include the home or
community settings (such as the child’s daycare if the child is in
daycare). If an EI service is to be provided in a setting that is not a
natural environment, the IFSP Team must include an appropriate
justification in the IFSP.

The child’s parent must give consent to the provision of each EI

service identified in the IFSP. A parent may consent to a particular
EI service without jeopardizing the child’s right to receive any of the
other EI services identified in the IFSP. Parents may also revoke
their consent for an EI service at any time. That revocation of
consent is not retroactive.

Steps 4-6 summarize what happens after the initial IFSP is written and the lead agency receives parental
consent to provide the EI services identified in the IFSP.

Each EI service listed in the IFSP must be made available as soon as

Early intervention possible after parents give their consent for that service. The service
services are provided. coordinator serves as the single point of contact for the family and
helps coordinate the EI services for the child and family.

The IFSP is reviewed at least every six months to see if changes

Every six months IFSP need to be made, given the child’s growth or changes in develop-
is reviewed & revised, mental status, or given changes in the family’s priorities and con-
as needed. cerns. The IFSP periodic review may be held more frequently if the
family requests it or if conditions warrant it.

Parents receive a prior written notice if there is a proposal or refusal to

conduct a reevaluation or to change EI services for the child. If there
are no changes being proposed, the six-month IFSP review meeting
may be a small meeting with just the service coordinator and the
parent and an advocate or other family member requested by the
parent.

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Process under Part C of IDEA

The IFSP must be reviewed annually. The annual review meeting is

The IFSP is reviewed held with the service coordinator, the parent, an advocate or other
annually. family member requested by the parent, and appropriate service
providers. IFSP Team members review the progress the child is
making in meeting the measurable results or outcomes listed in the
IFSP. Do changes need to be made to the IFSP to reflect the child’s
current levels of developmental functioning or the family’s re-
sources, priorities, and concerns about that development? If so, the
IFSP Team revises the IFSP, as needed.

Transitioning from Early Intervention

Steps 7–8 summarize what happens as the infant or toddler with a disability approaches his or her 3rd
birthday, when eligibility for early intervention typically ends. These steps are meant to prepare for the
child’s smooth transition from Part C services to Part B or other appropriate services or programs.

For all toddlers in EI Part C services end when the child reaches age 3. At least 90 days
before the child’s 3rd birthday, with the approval of the family, the
lead agency or EI provider will hold a conference with parents to
A transition plan for develop a transition plan. This conference may also be held up to 9
the child’s exit from months before the child turns 3, at the discretion of all parties. The
Part C is included in program options available to the toddler upon leaving the EI
the IFSP at least 90 program are reviewed and may include:
days before the child’s
3rd birthday. • preschool services under Part B of IDEA;

• elementary school or preschool services for children participating

under a State’s extended Part C option;*

• early education, Head Start, or Early Head Start or childcare

programs; or

• other appropriate services.

The transition meeting also focuses on the transition steps and

services the child and family need to ensure they make a smooth
transition from Part C to the next program setting. This informa-
tion is included in the transition plan, and the transition plan is
included in the child’s IFSP. (For many children who are referred to
Part C after their 2nd birthday, the transition plan may be part of the
initial IFSP.)

Parent consent is needed before the transition plan may be

implemented.

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* States now have the option to continue providing early
intervention services to children past their third birthday.
This is known as the Part C extension option.

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Basics of the Early Intervention page 5 (of 5) Handout 1
Process under Part C of IDEA

continued Some exiting toddlers may be eligible for preschool services under
Part B of IDEA. For each of these children:

• The transition conference described under Step 7 must occur;

For children potentially and
eligible for Part B services
• The State educational agency (SEA) and the child’s local educa-
tional agency (LEA) must be notified.
Lead agency must
notify the SEA & the About the transition conference
child’s LEA. The LEA If the child is potentially eligible for preschool services under Part
must take specific B, with family approval, participants in the conference include the
actions before the lead agency, family, and the LEA, as well as other members of the
child’s 3rd birthday. IFSP Team, including the service coordinator and individuals
invited by the family.

About the transition notification

When a toddler is potentially eligible for preschool services under
Part B of IDEA, the lead agency or EI provider must notify the SEA
and the child’s LEA that the toddler will soon reach the age of
eligibility for services under Part B. This transition notification must
take place at least 90 days before the child’s 3rd birthday. The notifi-
cation includes the child’s name, date of birth, residence, and
parent contact information.

Once notified, and before the child turns 3, the LEA must:

• provide the procedural safeguards notice to parents, which explains

the procedural safeguards available to them under IDEA;

• decide if the child is suspected of having a disability as that term

is defined under IDEA Part B and therefore needs to be evalu-
ated to determine his or her eligibility under Part B, and, if so,
conduct that evaluation; and

• make sure that an Individualized Education Program (IEP) is

developed for the child, if he or she is found eligible for pre-
school services under Part B.

By age 3, the child exits the Part C early intervention program. The
Child exits child transitions either to the Part B preschool program or to
early intervention. another appropriate program, if one is available in the State.

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