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Policy

Children will be referred to Early Childhood Coordinating Agency for Referral, Evaluation and Services (Early Childhood CARES) for a developmental evaluation based on screening results, parent concern, and/or teacher concerns.

Procedure

  • Complete all screenings (developmental, behavioral, hearing, vision).
  • Discuss screening results and possible actions at initial Integrated Service Meeting (see Integrated Service Staffing/Meeting[1] policy).
    • Possible actions include:
      • No action needed.
      • Refer for speech and language evaluation only.
      • Refer for evaluation in 2 or more areas of development.
      • If unclear: RM/ARM, ECE Coordinator/EHS Specialist, or Education/Disabilities Consultant will do an observation to help decide on further action.
    • When a referral is being considered, the ECEC will confer with the SLP and/or EI/ECSE specialist assigned to the site.
    • Share screening results and potential concerns with family. Discuss recommended referrals for further evaluation with family and request parent permission using the (Permission for Additional Services). Verify that agency has Permission to Exchange Information with Early Childhood CARES (or alternate agency).
    • For Speech and Language referrals ONLY:
      • Confirm with the SLP assigned to the site that a referral is needed.
      • Referral pack will include:
        • Permission for Additional Services for an ECSE referral. Check the communication box. Form must be signed by parent prior to the referral.
        • Completed ASQsummary page. ECEC will ensure complete ASQ is scanned into Child Plus in the Education Domain.
        • Speech Language Screening Tool.
      • ECE Coordinator/EHS specialist documents referral in the Concerns tab of the Disability Domain of Child Plus with a note detailing referral.
      • ECE Coordinator/EHS specialist will fax referral pack to Heather Waddell at Early Childhood CARES.
      • ECE Coordinator/EHS specialist adds the signed Permission for Additional Services as an attachment in the Disability Domain of Child Plus.
      • ECE Coordinator/EHS specialist emails referral information to Heather and cc RM/ARM, teacher & SLP.
      • ECE Coordinator/EHS specialist will run monthly Child Plus Disability & Concerns reports and follow up as needed.
    • For all other Early Childhood CARES referrals (EI/ECSE – 2 or more areas of development, Autism):
      • Discuss the need for referral with EI/ECSE specialist assigned to the site.
      • Referral pack will include:
        • Permission for Additional Services for an EI/ECSE referral. Check the areas of development where there is concern. Form must be signed by parent prior to referral.
        • Adaptive Skills Checklist, if there are concerns in adaptive development.
        • Completed ASQ summary page and ASQ: SE score. ECEC will ensure complete ASQ is scanned into Child Plus in the Education Domain.
      • ECE Coordinator/EHS specialist documents referral in the Concerns tab of the Disability Domain in Child Plus
      • ECE Coordinator/EHS specialist will fax referral packet to Heather Waddell at Early Childhood CARES.
      • ECE Coordinator/EHS specialist adds the signed Permission for Additional Services form as an attachment in the Disability Domain of Child Plus.
      • ECE Coordinator/EHS specialist emails referral information to Heather and cc RM/ARM, teacher and early Childhood CARES specialist. If communication concerns, then cc SLP.
      • ECE Coordinator/EHS specialist updates child’s Child Plus referral informationas needed.
      • ECE Coordinator/EHS specialist runs monthly Child Plus Disability and Concerns reports and follows up as needed.
  • The Early Childhood CARES Service coordinator makes sure the evaluations are completed and notifies the speech and language pathologist (SLP) to coordinate evaluations if the child needs a speech and language evaluation.
  • Early Childhood CARES evaluators or school district evaluators arrange the evaluation time and place with the parents and/or teachers. Evaluations can be conducted in the classroom, in the child’s home, in the classroom when other children are no there (i.e. on Friday’s), at Early Childhood CARES; this will be determined based on the type of evaluation, time needed and parent preference.
  • The Early Childhood CARES Service coordinator will coordinate the IFSP meetings, hand out the notices, facilitate the meetings and complete the required paperwork.
  • The IFSP team, including the parent, provides the results of the evaluation and its professional opinion of whether the child does or does not need special education and related services. If it is their professional opinion that a child has a disability, the team states which of the eligibility criteria applies and provides recommendations for program and services along with their findings.
  • Children who are not evaluated or do not qualify at the time of evaluation will have their progress monitored for six months in the area of concern by their educational staff. If appropriate, staff will refer families to alternate community resources.
  • IFSP evaluation and results are entered in the Disabilities Domain of Child Plus.
  • ECE coordinator will update child demographic information in TS Gold.

This policy complies with Head Start Performance Standard 45CFR Section 1304.21 . 1308.6
It was approved by Policy Council on April 8, 1997.
Updated November 15, 2000. September25, 2002. August 11, 2005. June 2009. October 2010. August 2011. July 2013. August 2014. July 2018

REVIEWED: June 2021
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