School days are approaching and we at Passaic County CASA want to make sure that all of the children we serve—including children ages 3-5—receive the special education services for which they may be eligible. Here is a quick refresher!
Ages 0-3:
All infants and toddlers in the NJ foster care system are entitled to be evaluated for Early Intervention services (EIS). Infants may have developmental delays in swallowing, eye tracking, rolling over, or making sounds. Older infants and toddlers may show delays in walking, running, speech/language development, and in social/adaptive living skills.
DCP&P typically makes a request for the Early Intervention evaluation, with the biological parent’s consent. If the child is deemed eligible, Early Intervention services take place in the home or at the child’s day care center.
Even if an infant or toddler is evaluated before age 12 months and was found ineligible for services at that time, a request for another evaluation by EIS can be made at any time.
Ages 3-5:
As a child approaches age 3, you as a CASA might suspect developmental delays in that child, whether or not the child had received Early Intervention services.
The child may now be eligible for special education and related services (e.g., speech/language therapy). The evaluation and eligibility determination would be completed by the Child Study Team (CST) through the child’s home school district. If eligible, the 3 to 5 year-old would likely participate in a program several hours a week, either at a public school or at an approved day care center.
How can you as a CASA assist in initiating a Child Study Team evaluation?
Begin with the steps below, ideally as the child reaches age 2 ½.
Speak with your Advocacy Supervisor who can guide you on how to approach DCP&P, the resource parent, and the biological parents.
Connect with the DCP&P caseworker, resource parent, biological parent, and law guardian to share perspectives on the child’s development.
Describe to the biological parents what the evaluation procedure is. Emphasize that it takes place at a school and that it is an educational evaluation, not a medical evaluation. The DCP&P caseworker can then coordinate with the parents to make a request for a Child Study Team evaluation.