Early Intervention Evaluations

Evaluations of children under the age of 3 are available through the Early Intervention (EI) system. You may want your child to receive an EI evaluation if you, your child’s doctor, a teacher, neighbor, or concerned friend suspects that your child may have a developmental delay or if your child has a disability that is likely to result in a developmental delay. If the evaluation shows that your child has a developmental delay, your child will qualify for EI services.

Before an evaluation of your child can take place, you, the parent, must agree to one. You will be given a document of Procedural Safeguards, which explains your rights in the Early Intervention (EI) system. You should read the Procedural Safeguards very carefully and ask questions if there are things you do not understand.

After obtaining your consent, the EI evaluation will look at your child’s development in five key areas: (1) physical; (2) cognitive (thinking, learning, solving problems); (3) communicative; (4) social and/or emotional; and (5) self-help (adaptive) skills. The evaluation may take place in a clinical setting, in your home, and/or in other places your child visits frequently, such as a day care center.

It will be conducted by individuals with specialties in certain areas, for example, education, speech-language, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and psychology. Because it includes people with different areas of expertise, it is called a "Multidisciplinary Evaluation" (MDE). Federal law requires the MDE to include input from at least two individuals from separate disciplines or professions (one of these may be service coordination), in addition to input from the family.

The evaluators will ask the parents questions about the child’s health, skills, weaknesses, and overall development and the family’s needs to support the child. Your child’s health records and medical history will be reviewed when relevant.

An must identify the types of services the child needs.

If your child qualifies for services, the next step will be to create a plan of action. This action plan for children under age 3 is called an "Individualized Family Service Plan" (IFSP"). After the IFSP is created and you agree to it, your child will begin receiving services. Thereafter, your child will be reevaluated once a year until your child is three years old. At least 30 days before your child turns three, he or she will receive an evaluation for Preschool Special Education services.

Additional Resources

• PA Procedural Safeguards Notice
• NJ Family Rights Document
• Delaware Guide to Family Rights
• Determination of Eligibility in NJ
• Sample