When Concerns Remain

A few children will still struggle with learning, even though their teachers have provided help both individually and in small groups. When concerns still remain, then it may warrant a referral for an evaluation from agencies or professionals who provide services to young children at risk or with disabilities. Special education and related services are available for children 3 through 5 through the local school district’s early childhood special education programs. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), a federal law, makes these services as well as early intervention services for children birth through two years available free of charge to families and their children.

Here are some important things to consider as you prepare for a conversation about referral to another agency.

Gather the information that you have collected to date. Collect progress monitoring notes, notes from previous problem solving meetings, assessment information, portfolio examples, and your ongoing observation notes. Look for trends that illustrate the concerns that you have. You do not have to have a diagnosis or a label. Descriptive information of what a child can or cannot do is the most useful information for families as well as agencies to which you will refer the child.

Gather information about “red flags” that signal early signs of concern. Local school districts usually distribute informational brochures for families and the child care community. Websites are another excellent source to gather this information. Bring pertinent information to the problem solving meeting.

A few web sites that have helpful information are:

• NICHCY State Resources of organizations and agencies that address disability-related issues
• NICHCY facts sheets describing common disabilities and common types of help for young children
• The American Speech and Hearing Association’s description of normal speech and language development and suggestions for finding help if children show delays.
• National Center for Learning Disabilities: Checklist of LD Signs and Symptoms

Gather specific contact information for the referring agency.  e.g. the local school district’s early childhood special education coordinator’s name and phone number.

Schedule the problem solving meeting during a time when there is time to have a non-hurried discussion in a comfortable and private space.

Use the problem solving steps described in Collaborative Problem Solving. Ask for parents current perceptions and share your observational information. Use concrete examples. Listen and take notes on what is discussed. Share the resource information that you gathered.

Confidentiality counts. Families need to give written permission before early childhood program staff can share any information with another agency. Make sure to get written permission if the family wants you to make the first call to an agency.

Allow family members to proceed at their own pace. Even though you have been having regular communication with families, this conversation is often difficult. Each family has its own way of sorting through the information and deciding what to do next.

Ask for help when needed. Administrators can provide needed support by attending the problem solving sessions and sharing observations and resources during problem solving meetings.

Many resources have been developed to help families and early childhood educators have access to step-by step information for making referrals. Your local school district, family resource center and disability organizations are a few places to look for this information. Also, a few web resource suggestions are listed below:

• IDEA Parent Guide by the National Center for Learning Disabilities
• Finding Help for Young Children with Disabilities (Birth – 5) by NICHCY.

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