Early Childhood Resources
Early Intervention Services
Early Intervention
Early intervention is a system of services designed to support families with children ages birth to kindergarten who have, or are at risk for, disabilities. Early intervention providers include early childhood special educators, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech and language pathologists, and health professionals. These professionals work closely with families to understand and build on children’s strengths and provide services that can support the child and family. They also work in partnership with parents to help children develop their knowledge and skills to reach their potential.
Early Intervention Services
Examples of early intervention services are:
Early Intervention Makes a Difference
There are many positive outcomes for children and families who receive Early Intervention services. More than 20 years of research demonstrates conclusively that early intervention reaps immediate and long-term benefits for children with disabilities, their families, and society. Starting services early improves a child’s ability to develop and learn. Early intervention can produce substantial gains in physical development, cognitive development, language and speech development and self-help skills.
It helps prevent the development of secondary disabling conditions, reduces family stress and can reduce the need for special education services once the child reaches school age.
(http://ncchildcare.nc.gov/parents/pr_sn2_ov_sn.asp)
Early intervention is a system of services designed to support families with children ages birth to kindergarten who have, or are at risk for, disabilities. Early intervention providers include early childhood special educators, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech and language pathologists, and health professionals. These professionals work closely with families to understand and build on children’s strengths and provide services that can support the child and family. They also work in partnership with parents to help children develop their knowledge and skills to reach their potential.
Early Intervention Services
Examples of early intervention services are:
- Audiology services
- Child service coordination
- Physical therapy
- Occupational therapy
- Speech-language therapy
- Vision services
- Transportation
- Multidisciplinary evaluation
- Nutrition services
- Special education
Early Intervention Makes a Difference
There are many positive outcomes for children and families who receive Early Intervention services. More than 20 years of research demonstrates conclusively that early intervention reaps immediate and long-term benefits for children with disabilities, their families, and society. Starting services early improves a child’s ability to develop and learn. Early intervention can produce substantial gains in physical development, cognitive development, language and speech development and self-help skills.
It helps prevent the development of secondary disabling conditions, reduces family stress and can reduce the need for special education services once the child reaches school age.
(http://ncchildcare.nc.gov/parents/pr_sn2_ov_sn.asp)
What are Early Intervention services?
Early Intervention Services are established through both federal and state statutes and focus on two age groups of children with special needs.
Early Intervention Services are established through both federal and state statutes and focus on two age groups of children with special needs.
Age Served
For children from birth to 3 years of age For children ages 3, 4, and 5 years old, who are not old enough for kindergarten |
Focus of Service
The developmental needs of the child, involving the family Primarily on the educational needs of a child |
Example of Services
Multidisciplinary evaluation, nutrition services, audiology/hearing, service coordination, parent training and information, psychological services, respite care, social work, occupational/physical therapy, speech therapy, special education Preschool services do not include respite care, nursing, nutrition, or child service coordination; however, preschool services do include speech therapy, occupational/physical therapy and special education |
Why is Early Intervention important?
More than 20 years of research has demonstrated conclusively that early intervention reaps immediate and long-term benefits for children with disabilities, their families, and society. Research shows the first three years are a critically important time for learning in a child's life. Starting services early improves a child's ability to develop and learn.
Who qualifies for these services?
There are legal eligibility criteria children must meet in order to receive services.
How can I find out if my child is eligible for Early Intervention services?
If you or a family member, doctor, or other care provider feels that a child under three (Birth to 3) qualifies under one of the two broad categories of Developmental Delay or Established Conditions, referral can be made to the local Children’s Developmental Services Agency (CDSA) in your community. For additional information, contact the NC Early Intervention Branch at 919.707.5520 or visit www.ncei.org
If a child is three years of age or older, contact your local school district.
Where are services located?
Services can be delivered in child care centers, family child care homes, church programs, Head Start programs, Developmental Day Centers, as well as at home through service providers visiting a child's home or other natural environments (where children without special needs participate).
How are services delivered?
Services are generally delivered to children in two ways:
Are there costs for these services?
Many services are free of cost, however some therapeutic service costs are on sliding scale fees based on the parent's income and ability to pay.
(http://ncchildcare.nc.gov/parents/pr_sn2_snfaq.asp)
More than 20 years of research has demonstrated conclusively that early intervention reaps immediate and long-term benefits for children with disabilities, their families, and society. Research shows the first three years are a critically important time for learning in a child's life. Starting services early improves a child's ability to develop and learn.
Who qualifies for these services?
There are legal eligibility criteria children must meet in order to receive services.
How can I find out if my child is eligible for Early Intervention services?
If you or a family member, doctor, or other care provider feels that a child under three (Birth to 3) qualifies under one of the two broad categories of Developmental Delay or Established Conditions, referral can be made to the local Children’s Developmental Services Agency (CDSA) in your community. For additional information, contact the NC Early Intervention Branch at 919.707.5520 or visit www.ncei.org
If a child is three years of age or older, contact your local school district.
Where are services located?
Services can be delivered in child care centers, family child care homes, church programs, Head Start programs, Developmental Day Centers, as well as at home through service providers visiting a child's home or other natural environments (where children without special needs participate).
How are services delivered?
Services are generally delivered to children in two ways:
- Directly to the child by a special education teacher, early interventionist or other specialist
- Indirectly to the child through consultation with the child's family and if needed, to the child's service providers (teachers, child care staff, therapist)
Are there costs for these services?
Many services are free of cost, however some therapeutic service costs are on sliding scale fees based on the parent's income and ability to pay.
(http://ncchildcare.nc.gov/parents/pr_sn2_snfaq.asp)
Finding and Paying for Childcare/Preschool
Subsidized Child Care
Using state and federal funds, North Carolina provides financial assistance for child care to many families through a locally administered state supervised program. You are free to choose your own type of child care arrangement. Payment amounts for each child depends on, your family situation, income, the cost of child care provided, and the type of public funds from which the payment is made.
http://www.wilson-co.com/462/Subsidized-Child-Care-Program (Wilson County, NC)
http://ncchildcare.nc.gov/parents/pr_parentcontacts.asp (Wayne County, NC)
http://www.waynegov.com/461/Child-Day-Care (Wayne County, NC)
http://pfcw.org/for-parents/paying-for-child-care/ (Wayne County, NC)
http://ncchildcare.nc.gov/parents/pr_sn2_ov_fa.asp (North Carolina)
Success in Schools (Wilson County, NC)
The Success in Schools Initiative targets teenage custodial parents receiving child care subsidy in order to remain in public school and work toward obtaining their high school diploma. Teen parents are provided intense case management intervention including “best practice” strategies to encourage, support, educate, and motivate teenage mothers to continue attending public school with the goal of achieving their high school diploma. If you are a teen parent who is interested in participating in the program or are interested in volunteering, call 252-293-4338 or 252-206-4202.
Local Childcare Facilities
The following is a website to search for local child care facilities in your county, from the Division of Child Development and Early Education through the Department of Health and Human Services: ncchildcaresearch.dhhs.state.nc.us/search.asp
Using state and federal funds, North Carolina provides financial assistance for child care to many families through a locally administered state supervised program. You are free to choose your own type of child care arrangement. Payment amounts for each child depends on, your family situation, income, the cost of child care provided, and the type of public funds from which the payment is made.
http://www.wilson-co.com/462/Subsidized-Child-Care-Program (Wilson County, NC)
http://ncchildcare.nc.gov/parents/pr_parentcontacts.asp (Wayne County, NC)
http://www.waynegov.com/461/Child-Day-Care (Wayne County, NC)
http://pfcw.org/for-parents/paying-for-child-care/ (Wayne County, NC)
http://ncchildcare.nc.gov/parents/pr_sn2_ov_fa.asp (North Carolina)
Success in Schools (Wilson County, NC)
The Success in Schools Initiative targets teenage custodial parents receiving child care subsidy in order to remain in public school and work toward obtaining their high school diploma. Teen parents are provided intense case management intervention including “best practice” strategies to encourage, support, educate, and motivate teenage mothers to continue attending public school with the goal of achieving their high school diploma. If you are a teen parent who is interested in participating in the program or are interested in volunteering, call 252-293-4338 or 252-206-4202.
Local Childcare Facilities
The following is a website to search for local child care facilities in your county, from the Division of Child Development and Early Education through the Department of Health and Human Services: ncchildcaresearch.dhhs.state.nc.us/search.asp
Options for Childcare and Preschool
NC Pre-K: North Carolina Prekindergarten Program
What is NC Pre-K?
The NC Pre-K Program is designed to provide high-quality educational experiences to enhance school readiness for eligible four-year-old children. The NC Pre-K Program Requirements are built on the National Education Goals Panel’s premise that to be successful academically in school, children need to be prepared in all five of the developmental domains that are critical to children’s overall well-being and success in reading and math as they enter school:
- Approaches to play and learning
- Emotional and social development
- Health and Physical Development
- Language development and communication
- Cognitive development
The NC Pre-K Program Requirements are designed to ensure that a high-quality pre-kindergarten classroom experience is provided for eligible four-year-old children in each local NC Pre-K Program and that, to the extent possible, uniformity exists across the state. Programs are also required to meet the NC Child Care Rules. North Carolina is one of four states with a Pre-K program that meets all 10 National Institute of Early Education ResearchBenchmarks (NIEER). Benchmarks include comprehensive Early Learning Standards; staff meet education/licensure requirements, professional development; 1:9 staff/child ratio; developmental screens and referral; evidence-based curriculum and formative assessments; monitoring and nutritional requirements.
Who do I contact for information about the NC Pre-K Program?
The NC Pre-K Program is administered by the NC Department of Health and Human Services under the Division of Child Development and Early Education, Early Education Unit.
The NC Pre-K Program is designed to provide high-quality educational experiences to enhance school readiness for eligible four-year-old children. NC Pre-K programs must meet the NC Child Care Rules, including specific rules for administrators and teachers, the NC Pre-K Program Requirements and other state-level policy. The NC Pre-K Program is administered at the county or regional level by Local Education Agencies, Smart Start Agencies, or Community Action Agencies and operated in 4- and 5-star-rated classrooms in public schools, child care centers and Head Start programs. Lead Teachers in these classrooms must hold or be working toward a North Carolina Birth-through-Kindergarten or Preschool Add-on Standard Professional II license.
How do I know if my child is eligible to participate in NC Pre-K?
The child must be four-years old on or before August 31st of the program year. A child that meets the age requirement is eligible for NC Pre-K if the child is from a family whose gross income is at or below 75% of the State Median Income (SMI). Children of certain military families are also eligible without regard to income. In addition, up to 20% of age eligible children enrolled may have family incomes in excess of 75% SMI if they have documented risk factors in specific categories including developmental disability, Limited English Proficiency, educational need, or chronic health condition.
Although a child may meet one or more eligibility factors, placement is not guaranteed in an NC Pre-K classroom. Waiting lists exist in counties when funding is not sufficient to serve all eligible children. Local NC Pre-K contract administrators can provide specific information about the enrollment process, available programs that meet NC Pre-K Program Requirements, and other specific information related to participation in NC Pre-K in your county, as well as other options for early childhood education services (e.g., Child Care Subsidy, Child Care Resource and Referral, Head Start, Preschool Exceptional Children, Smart Start, Title I Preschool).
This page has the most current information and updates about the NC Pre-K Program, local contact information, and supporting structures, including the Early Educator Support, Licensure and Professional Development (EESLPD) Office. The EESLPD Office is the statewide education and licensure office serving NC Pre-K teachers employed in nonpublic schools.
Where can I find results of the Statewide Evaluation of the NC Pre‐Kindergarten?
Results from the 2013-2014 NC Pre-K Evaluation Study indicate children enrolled in the NC Pre-K Program made significant gains from pre-k through kindergarten across all domains of learning. Children showed gains in language and literacy skills (receptive vocabulary, expressive vocabulary, letter-word identification, phonological awareness), math skills (math problem-solving, counting), general knowledge (basic self-knowledge), and behavior skills (social skills).
http://ncchildcare.nc.gov/general/mb_ncprek.asp)
Financial Assistance for Childcare
How Does Child Care Financial Assistance in North Carolina Work?
North Carolina's Division of Child Development uses a combination of state and federal funds to provide subsidized child care services to eligible families through a locally administered state-supervised voucher system. Annually each county receives a combination of state and federal funding from the Division of Child Development for subsidized child care services. The amount of funding allocated to each county is determined by legislation.
If the county department of social services or other local purchasing agency does not have enough funding to serve all families who apply for subsidized child care, the agency may establish priorities for services. For example, an agency may choose to give priority to working parent(s) or families who need child care to support child protective services.
If a family meets the eligibility criteria, the state of North Carolina pays a portion of the cost of child care. Parents are free to choose a child care arrangement that best fits their needs as long as the provider chosen participates in the Subsidized Child Care Program.
The amount the state pays for child care depends on:
2201 Mail Service Center | Raleigh, NC 27699-2200
919-527-6335 | 1-800-859-0829 (In State Only)
North Carolina's Division of Child Development uses a combination of state and federal funds to provide subsidized child care services to eligible families through a locally administered state-supervised voucher system. Annually each county receives a combination of state and federal funding from the Division of Child Development for subsidized child care services. The amount of funding allocated to each county is determined by legislation.
If the county department of social services or other local purchasing agency does not have enough funding to serve all families who apply for subsidized child care, the agency may establish priorities for services. For example, an agency may choose to give priority to working parent(s) or families who need child care to support child protective services.
If a family meets the eligibility criteria, the state of North Carolina pays a portion of the cost of child care. Parents are free to choose a child care arrangement that best fits their needs as long as the provider chosen participates in the Subsidized Child Care Program.
The amount the state pays for child care depends on:
- The family's situational criteria
- The family's income
- The cost of the child care provided
2201 Mail Service Center | Raleigh, NC 27699-2200
919-527-6335 | 1-800-859-0829 (In State Only)
Early Childhood Tips and Resources
Partnership for Children of Wayne County
http://pfcw.org/ Pregnancy Classes pfcw.org/for-parents/pregnancy-birth-and-beyond/ Incredible Years Parenting Classes http://pfcw.org/for-parents/incredible-years-parenting-class/ PFCW Lending Library pfcw.org/for-parents/lending-library/ Wayne County Child Safety (car seat safety, fire safety, ect) pfcw.org/for-parents/safe-kids/ Born Learning www.bornlearning.org/?id=33 Reading Rockets Resources for Preschool-Age Children http://www.readingrockets.org/article/top-10-resources-preschool-childcare US Department of Education Resources for Families https://www2.ed.gov/about/inits/ed/earlylearning/inclusion/resources-for-families.html Week of the Young Child Activities and Resources http://www.naeyc.org/woyc/resources General Preschool Resources www.naeyc.org/tyc/links/preschoolresources NC Child Development and Early Education http://ncchildcare.nc.gov/general/home.asp |
Training Opportunities
Smart Start of Wilson NC offers several training opportunities a month. Check out their calendar of trainings at this link: http://hosting.brownbearsw.com/WCPFC/Smart_Start_Training_Calendar |