Child Find for Children Birth to Age 5

Child Find is part of Colorado's system for identifying children suspected of having a delay in development. The purpose of the child find process is to determine whether a child has a need for early intervention or special education services. If a young child is not meeting typical developmental milestones, or someone is concerned about the child’s growth or learning, Child Find teams will evaluate how the child plays, learns, speaks, behaves, and moves. The purpose of the evaluation is to determine if there is a significant delay or if there is a need for early intervention or special education services. Evaluations conducted by Child Find teams are at no cost to families.

Referrals

Children who are not yet in kindergarten may be referred at any time, by anyone, such as a family member, doctor, or child care provider. A parent or guardian may also make a self referral about their child. A referral is made when there is a concern about a child’s development.

For children from birth to three years of age, teams partner with local Early Intervention programs that provide service coordination.

Children three to five years old are evaluated as a part of the preschool special education process. Families will be supported by their local school district through the evaluation and preschool enrollment process.

Developing a Plan

Once the evaluation team, which includes the parents, has gathered enough information to determine if the child meets eligibility criteria for early intervention or preschool special education services, an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) or an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) is developed and plans for supports and services are made.

Who do I contact?

For children aged birth through 2, contact Early Intervention Colorado at call 833-733-3734 (833-REFER-EI) and learn more at eicolorado.org.

To make a referral for screening or evaluation for a preschool aged child, contact Child Find at the School District or BOCES where the child lives.

To search on-line for the local Preschool Child Find contact in your area refer to the Colorado Department of Education's Child Find Directory.

Additional Information

Resources and Guidance for children 3 and older.

Learn more about Early Intervention Colorado for children birth through age two.

Providers

Children under age three eligible for early intervention services receive services at home or in community settings as outlined in their IFSP. Preschool special education services for children three to five years of age are provided by local school districts and Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) in inclusive preschool classrooms and are designed to support the individual educational needs of young children. Learn more about Preschool Special Education Services.

The Colorado Early Learning and Development Guidelines

Are you interested in learning about the expectations for your child's development based on their age? The Colorado Early Learning and Development Guidelines describe the path of children’s learning and development from birth to 8 years old. Broken down by age and major milestones, the guidelines are a sort of map, helping parents and caregivers navigate their child's early years. Experts from across Colorado developed these guidelines to create a shared understanding and a coordinated approach to learning and development.

Curious about what your little one is thinking at this age? Wondering what you can do to help them thrive and reach their developmental milestones? Check out the guidelines using the link below.

Browse the Guidelines

Download the Guidelines Document

Spanish version

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