Child Find
Overview
School districts are obligated to "find" children who may have a disability and require special education and related services. We all have the responsibility to help school districts identify children in need. If you have concerns, please reach out to your child's school district.
We are here to help!
What is "Child Find"?
Child Find is the process of locating, evaluating, and identifying children who may have a disability, which may require special education and related services. Everyone is a contributor to Child Find. We all have a responsibility to help link children who may be presenting with characteristics of a disability to the help and early intervention that they need. If you are aware of a child who may have needs, please contact the child's District of Residence about your concerns. All persons who are in contact with the child (Not just the parent) are encouraged to help school districts identify children who may potentially have a disability.
What is the Purpose of Child Find?
Child Find aims to alert parents, professionals, and the public to children who may have special needs.
Guarantee that school districts find children who may have disabilities and who otherwise may not have come to their attention.
Enable eligible children to receive the special education and related services that are needed.
Promote public awareness of disabilities.
What happens next?
When a school district is made aware of a child who may require services, the district of residence (the school district boundaries in which the child lives) will contact the family of the child to discuss the next steps. This will typically include an intake meeting in which the district will ask a lot of questions that relate to different areas of development, as well as information about the family and family structure. Should the team determine that the child may require services, a referral will be made in which an initial evaluation for special education services will be conducted. It is important to note that this is completed at no cost to the family. Although there are private evaluations through local agencies that are available, those can be very costly to the family. If you have a concern regarding your child, I would highly recommend you reach out to your child's school, even if they are not of age to attend. Once the evaluation is completed and if a need is identified, the child may receive appropriate special education and related services throughout the day.
