Early Intervention

This page includes information on making a referral to a local Child & Family Connections office (CFC) for an evaluation. All CFC offices have a parent liaison on staff to provide consultation to EI teams and families. Parent liaisons are parents or guardians of a child with special needs.

No one knows your child better than you do. As a parent, you know their cries, their giggles, and their moods. Your child also knows your voice, your smell, and your touch—even from birth! You are also a critical member of the early intervention team. Most intervention happens between visits because providers see your child for only a short visit. What can you do to help your child?

Children learn best in familiar environments and during daily routines. Your EI provider can help you use daily routines to enhance your child’s development. Talk about some places where you spend time with your child. Talk about other places you would like to go, such as the grocery store, park, or library. How do you want to spend your time there? Your EI provider may go with you to these places. Your EI provider can help you come up with ideas that will help your child take part successfully in those settings.

In early intervention (EI), we work as a team to help your child learn and overcome challenges. The most important member of the team is the child’s family. Every team includes a service coordinator. The team will look different for each child and family. Other team members bring knowledge and skills from a specific field to help the child and family meet outcomes.

Parents and service providers want what’s best for children in the Illinois Early Intervention (EI) Program. Talking to each other openly can help reach that goal. Providers need to know about the child’s routines, communication strengths, and how the child learns. Parents need to know about services and how they will be involved. They may have questions about home visits, types of services, or their child’s development.

Families with children eligible for the Illinois Early Intervention Program often have questions about paying for services.

An Individualized Family Service Plan is developed for every child receiving services through the Illinois early intervention system. Once eligibility is determined, and within 45 days of referral, the IFSP is developed by the early intervention team to support and build upon the strengths of the child’s family.

Visits by providers of early intervention (EI) services are as individual as your child, but most follow a similar pattern when services are delivered in the home.

A key part of early intervention is monitoring the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP), celebrating the progress, and modifying the outcomes, strategies, and supports as a team. The six-month review is an opportunity for families and other team members to talk, solve problems, and plan together!

This tip sheet discusses the steps involved in a successful transition out of the early intervention system.

This resource includes information on the Illinois early intervention program, why EI services are important, how to find out whether your child is eligible for the EI program, starting and leaving EI services, your legal rights, and questions frequently asked by families.

This describes the potential members of an early intervention team and what a typical EI visit might look like.

This directory includes links to organizations and projects here in Illinois, working in early intervention, parenting, developmental delays, special needs, and related topics as well as a listing of early intervention research projects.

This resource helps walk families through the various aspects of a family’s journey through early intervention and strategies to consider as you plan with the professionals on your team.