You are here: Home > Services & Supports > Early Childhood Services

Early Childhood Services

Early Childhood Programs designed for children from birth through age five and their families, include supportive home services, center-based programs for toddlers and preschoolers and parent-child programs. Often these are the first contact families have with the Board of DD. Parental participation is key to all these programs and is strongly encouraged.  

An early intervention specialist visits families enrolled in supportive homes services in their homes on a periodic scheduled basis to help with child development, support, access to community resources and future planning. Physical and occupational therapists and speech-language therapists may provide evaluations and consultations, and specialists may provide consultation to day care centers or homes for working families.  

Toddler and preschool programs take place at six early childhood centers located throughout the county. All the centers operate in buildings alongside programs for typically developing children with a major focus on including children with and without disabilities into ongoing programs. Emphasizing play and functional activities, the curriculum centers on developing the child's ability to communicate, social and emotional skills, physical development, self-help skills and parent education.    

Parent-child programs focus on parent-child interactions, specific areas of interest families have regarding child development and opportunities for families to get together to discuss mutual concerns. Early intervention specialists, occupational and physical therapists, speech-language pathologists and music therapists all participate in this program.