Getting services early can help children get ready for school and life.  Research shows that early support can make a difference in communication, social skills, and daily living skills.  

But how do children who may need these services get identified?  Child Find helps make that happen.  

What is Child Find?   

Child Find is a legal requirement under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).  It requires states to identify, locate, and evaluate children and young adults to determine if they need special education or related services.  

Child Find applies from birth through age 21.  

How does Child Find work?  

In California, public school districts and regional centers engage in public outreach to find children who may have disabilities.  This includes children who are not enrolled in public school or infants and toddlers under age 3.  This outreach can take many forms, including working with hospitals, healthcare providers, and community organizations such as Family Resource Centers.   

Some of the required Child Find activities are:   

  • Working with local hospitals, including those with NICUs  
  • Contacting local parent organizations and support groups.   
  • Offering community health and developmental screenings  
  • Giving presentations to local groups, including those serving diverse communities 

What are the benefits of early intervention?  

Studies show that doing a variety of Child Find activities helps more children get early support, which improves outcomes for both children and families (Estes, et al., 2019; Guthrie et al., 2023).      

  • One California study looked at children whose early intervention services were disrupted during the COVID‑19 pandemic.  These children had lower school‑readiness scores than children who received early support before or after the pandemic shutdowns.
  • A review of 19 studies of young children with disabilities, including autism, Down syndrome, Fragile X syndrome, as well as children born early showed that children who received support before age 6 made gains in communication, social skills, and daily living skills.  

Where can I learn more about early intervention and Child Find?   

  • Find specific requirements for states to actively identify children and determine their eligibility for services in Part C and Part B, Section 619 of IDEA. 

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