Early Childhood
Early childhood special
education, which can start at ages birth – 3, is critical for
young children with special needs. The intervention services the child
with special needs and the family will receive are outlined in the
Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP). Services can include, among
others, special instruction, speech-language therapy, occupational
therapy, physical therapy, and family training and counseling. To the
extent possible, early intervention services are provided in the
“natural environment,”—where the child lives, learns,
and plays. While this could be the home, it could also include other
settings such as day care or a community pool. The services could also
be provided in a clinic, hospital, or other specialized
setting.
Early intervention ends when a
child reaches 3 years of age. At that time, if the child is eligible, he
or she will receive special education through the public schools. The
parents and a team of experts will develop an Individualized Education
Program (IEP) for the child, which will outline the services the child
will receive and where those services will be provided. Many public
schools run preschool classes, or the child may receive special
education services in pre-K classes, Head Start programs or day
care.
To help you provide high
quality early childhood special education educational programming, CEC
has created this resource. It includes information on early childhood
instructional strategies and current issues concerning early childhood
as well as CEC policies and resources.
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