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Getting
Started with Early Intervention
Other
Parents and Support Organizations
ASDC
Snapshots: The Infant and Toddler
Program
 If
your infant or toddler has been identified with a hearing
loss, s/he may be eligible for services under the Infant
and Toddler Program of the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA). IDEA is the federal law that governs
the education of children with disabilities. The Infant
and Toddler Program is also known as "Part C."
In exchange for federal funding, states and local agencies
agree to follow specific state and local plans to provide
services to children and their families. An individual state
or local agency may have its own name for its infant and
toddler program, also known as an early intervention program.
The service offered may include family training, counseling,
and home visits, special instruction, speech-language pathology
and audiology services, vision services, assistive technology
devises and assistive technology services, as well as other
services.
The manner in which services are provided
varies from place to place. In some areas, a health department
manages services. In others, they are provided through an
education department. In any case, service providers are
to work together to ensure that appropriate services are
offered to each child and family. Each state must have a
"child find" system to locate eligible children.
To find out if your child is eligible, contact your local
school district.
An important requirement of early intervention
programs is that an Individualized Family Services Plan
be developed for each child and family.
The Individualized Family Service Plan
(IFSP) is a written plan that outlines the services you
and your child will receive. The IFSP is based on information
about your child and family. Before the IFSP is written,
there must be a multidisciplinary assessment of your child
and identification of services appropriate to meet his or
her needs. There must also be a family-directed assessment
of the resources, priorities, and concerns of your family.
In addition, there must be an identification of the supports
and services necessary to help your family meet the needs
of your child.
 The
IFSP must contain:
- A statement of your child's present
level of development.
- A statement of your family's resources,
priorities and concerns relating to your child.
- A statement of the major outcomes
expected.
- A statement of specific early intervention
services necessary.
- A statement of the natural environments
(such as the home or a community setting) in which early
intervention services will be provided, including a justification
if services are not provided in a natural environment.
- Dates of initiation of services
and duration of services.
- The identification of the service
coordinator who will be responsible for the implementation
of the plan.
- The steps to be taken to support
the transition of your toddler to preschool or other appropriate
services.
There are a number of procedural safeguards
in place to ensure that infants and toddlers and their families
receive appropriate services. These include:
- A means to resolve complaints by
parents, including through legal means.
- The right to confidentiality.
- The right to accept or decline services.
- The right to examine records.
- Written prior notice (in the parents'
native language) regarding the child's identification,
evaluation and placement.
- The right to use mediation
to resolve disputes.
The
information sheets on this web page come to our site courtesy
of the American Society for Deaf Children (ASDC). ASDC would
like to share this information with all parents of children
who are deaf or hard of hearing.
The
American Society for Deaf Children can be reached at:
P.O. Box 3355, Gettysburg, PA 17325
717/334-7922 v/tty Business
717/334-8808 Fax
800/942-ASDC v/tty Parent Information and Referral
 
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