Addressing the Needs of Young Children in Child Welfare: Part C-Early Intervention Services

Early intervention services can help young children with developmental delays or disabilities and their families overcome challenges and achieve improved well-being and outcomes. The Part C referral provisions in the 2003 reauthorization of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) and in the Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA) opened the door to an effective partnership between the child welfare and early intervention systems, which may benefit children birth to age 3 involved in substantiated cases of abuse or neglect. This partnership can expand the array of supports and resources for children and their caregivers in order to help children remain safely in their homes, stabilize placements, and improve well-being. It also can help child welfare staff in assessment and permanency planning.