What is Child Find?
Child find is the process of locating, evaluating, and identifying children with disabilities who may be in need of special education and related services.
What is a disability?
For children ages birth to 3 - A physical or mental condition that may result in a developmental delay
For children ages 3 through 22 - For children ages 5 through 21 - Identification of one or more of the following conditions: autism, cognitive disability, deaf-blindness, deafness, emotional disturbance, hearing impairment, multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairment, other health impairment, specific learning disability, speech or language impairment, and traumatic brain injury.
Why is there Child Find?
Local school districts are required by federal and state laws to find children who may need special education services and related services.
What is the purpose of Child Find?
- To alert parents, professionals, and the public to children who may have special needs
- To guarantee that school districts find children who may have disabilities and who otherwise may not have come to their attention
- To enable eligible children to receive the special education and related services that are needed
- To promote public awareness of disabilities
How can you help?
If you are aware of a child who may have special needs, please notify his/her school district. Parents, relatives, public and private agency employees, childcare providers, physicians and concerned citizens are encouraged to help school districts find any child, ages birth through 21, who may have a disability and are in need of special education and related services.
What happens next?
The school district will contact the parents of the child to discuss the next steps in the evaluation and identification process. This process is provided at no cost to the family. If a need is identified, the child can begin receiving the appropriate special education and related services during the school day.
Where to Find Help
If you suspect a child may have a disability, help is available, contact Mercedes Wise, Director of Student Services at Danbury Local Schools.
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