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Parents' Rights

Parents have rights and access to procedural safeguards to assure that early intervention services are provided in a manner appropriate to the child's needs and concerns of the family.

Procedural safeguards include: confidentiality, access to records, evaluation and assessment, individual family service plans, and periodic and annual individual family service plan review.

Complaints, Mediation, and Due Process Hearings

In Early Start, parents have rights and protections to resolve disagreements related to Early Start services or allegations that a federal or state statute or regulation has been violated. The following procedures are only for children under the age of three years.

As a parent, guardian, or surrogate parent you have the right to:

1. request a mediation conference and/or a due process hearing any time a regional center or LEA proposes or refuses to initiate or change the identification, evaluation, assessment, placement, and/or provision of appropriate early intervention service(s);
2. be informed of your right to file a complaint; and
3. file a complaint if you believe there has been a violation of any law governing early intervention services under Early Start.

For more information regarding complaint resolution processes:

• Early Start Complaints
• Mediation and Due Process Hearing Request

Resource

The Parent's Rights Booklet