Child Find

Child Find is a process mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to identify, locate, and evaluate children from birth through 21 years of age who may have disabilities and require early intervention or special education services. This process involves ongoing public awareness activities and evaluations to ensure children with special needs receive the support they need to succeed as early as possible.
 

f you have concerns about a child’s speech, learning, behavior, or development, you can make a Child Find request. Once a request is made, a Multidisciplinary Evaluation Team will meet with the family within 14 days to determine if an evaluation is necessary.

If an evaluation is recommended, written parental consent is required before any testing begins.

• For children birth to two years old, contact your local Health Department.
• For children three to 21 years old, contact your local school district.

You do not need to bring anything to the initial meeting; however, any records, reports, or information you have that can help describe your concerns will be beneficial.

A multidisciplinary evaluation includes observations, assessments, and interviews conducted by two or more professionals, such as a speech-language pathologist, school psychologist, or special educator.  A written summary of the evaluation will be provided to the family.  Following the evaluation, a meeting will be held to determine if the child qualifies for special services.