What Is Child Find?

IDEA requires that all children with disabilities

(birth through twenty-one) residing in the state,
including children with disabilities attending
private schools, regardless of the severity of their
disability, and who may be in need of special
education and related services, must be
identified, located, and evaluated by the public
agency responsible and a practical method
developed and implemented to determine which
children with disabilities are currently receiving
needed special education and related services.
What 7 major elements are included in
a comprehensive child find system?
• Definition of Target Population
• Public Awareness
• Referral and Intake
• Screening and Identification of Young Children
who May be Eligible for IDEA services
• Eligibility Determination
• Tracking
• Interagency Coordination
 Definition of Target Definition
To identify children who may have health or
developmental issues as early as possible, it is important to
think broadly about needed programs and services and
conduct child find activities accordingly. For example, needs
may range from an eye exam for a child having minor vision
difficulties to a full evaluation for a child in need of more
comprehensive or ongoing early intervention services.
Multiple state programs have a responsibility to identify
children in need of these services. Programs that are
responsible for serving identified children include: early
intervention, preschool special education, Head Start, Title
V programs for children with special health care needs, and
state Medicaid and SCHIP initiatives.
 Public Awareness
The Early Intervention Branch and its Children’s Developmental
Services Agencies must develop and disseminate information
focusing on early identification of infants and toddlers with
disabilities to all primary referral sources, especially hospitals and
physicians. This information is to be given to parents, especially to
inform parents with premature infants and infants with other
physical risk factors associated with learning or developmental
complications, on the availability of early intervention services
under the Infant-Toddler Program and of services under Preschool
services for children with disabilities. In addition to providing such
information to hospitals and physicians, the Infant-Toddler Program
must target other referral sources such as homeless family shelters,
clinics, and other health-related offices, public schools, and officials
and staff in the child welfare system.
 Public Awareness Activities
Public awareness activities focus on the Infant-Toddler Program and
on the early identification of children who are eligible to receive early
intervention services under the Infant-Toddler Program.

Activities inform the public about:

• the state's early intervention program;
• the state's child find system including its purpose and scope, how to make
referrals, and how to access a comprehensive evaluation and other early
intervention services; and
• the state’s central directory.

In addition to state-supported activities, local community agencies

are obligated by the federal law to participate in public awareness
activities. Many of these activities parallel the state's efforts in the
distribution or presentation of public awareness materials.
 Referral and Intake
A mechanism must exist for a broad range
of referral sources to be informed about
eligibility, identification of children who may
be eligible, and about how to make
appropriate referrals to public agencies. Once
the public agency receives a referral, a
services coordinator needs to be appointed as
soon as possible.
Federal Child Find Referral Process
http://fdlrs.leeschools.net/pdf/child%20find/chil
d%20find%20referral%20process.pdf
 Screening and Identification
Each statewide system should include procedures for
screening of health and development as one component of a
comprehensive child find system. Use of standardized, validated,
accurate measures is highly recommended. Informal detection
methods (checklists, observations, review of milestones, or use of
selected items on validated screens, etc.) are not recommended
because they miss the majority of children with disabilities.
However, some informal methods (such as checklists) may
encourage parents and caregivers to ask questions about a child's
health or development that lead to screening and/or evaluation.
Parents, grandparents, and other caregivers can use
standardized screening tools that have been designed for this
purpose.
Screening is mandated under EPSDT (Early Periodic Screening,
Diagnosis and Treatment) and is required of pediatric healthcare
providers who deliver routine health supervision services.
 Child Find Screening
Each school district is further required to establish and implement a
comprehensive system of screening. The screening process is to
include:
• Curriculum-based or performance based assessments
• Observations
• Interventions
• Student response to interventions
• Determination whether difficulties are due to lack of instruction or
English Proficiency or both
• Determination whether student's needs exceed functional ability of
the regular education program to maintain the student at an
appropriate instructional level
• Activities to gain parent involvement
 Eligibility Determination
Each state has eligibility criteria for early
intervention that needs to be consistent with
federal regulations. In addition, some states
have elected to serve children who are at risk
of developmental disability. These states must
describe their criteria and procedures for
determining which children meet the "at risk"
criteria. Services must be available for
conducting diagnostic assessments and for
identifying the intervention services needed.
 Tracking
States need to have a tracking system to
determine which children are receiving
services and ensure follow-up once children
are referred.
 Example of a tracking form:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&es
rc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CCsQ
FjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.azdes.gov%2
FInternetFiles%2FInternetProgrammaticForms
%2Fdoc%2Fchild_find_tracking_form_2.doc&
ei=IqXuUbLzG5W24AOouYCgCA&usg=AFQjCN
GiCoZIPq8w62QGV6SBHNXlM4qVPQ&sig2=kF
OMSTmmCnos2Eb1_eTs4Q&bvm=bv.4947809
9,d.dmg
 Interagency Coordination
Child find activities need to be coordinated
across state and local agencies to ensure
efficient use of resources. Information about
child find procedures and activities must be
available to all individuals and agencies
serving infants and children.
 Roles of Local Interagency
Coordinating Council
• ƒDevelop and disseminate county specific public awareness,
transitions, and child find materials ;
• ƒFoster interagency collaboration and information sharing;
• ƒPromote parent and family involvement in all community activities;
and
• ƒEncourage community efforts supporting inclusion of children with
special needs and their families.
• Sub-committees may be appointed as need arises for such issues as
transition, transportation, public relations, or child find, as well as
to handle specific tasks of the Local Interagency Coordinating
Council.
• Because Local Interagency Coordinating Council meetings are
generally public meetings, a specific child or family must be
discussed in such a way as to protect the confidentiality of the child
and family
 Sources
• http://www.ldaamerica.us/aboutld/parents/special_ed
/referral.asp
• http://www.childfindidea.org/overview.htm
• http://www.beearly.nc.gov/data/files/pdf/infanttoddle
rmanual/Bulletin31.pdf
• http://fdlrs.leeschools.net/
• http://fdlrs.leeschools.net/pdf/child%20find/child%20fi
nd%20referral%20process.pdf
• http://www.iu1.k12.pa.us/special/manual/childfind.sht
ml
• http://www.childfindidea.org/elements_eligible_b.htm