Child Find Assessment Services 

What is Child Find?

Child Find is a component of the Individuals with Disability Education Act (IDEA) that requires school districts to identify, locate and evaluate all children with disabilities ages 3 to 21 who are in need of early intervention services or special education services.  It is a continuous process of public awareness activities, screenings, and evaluations to locate, identify, and refer children as early as possible.

•HCS Child Find Brochure

How Does Child Find Work?

The purpose of Child Find is to identify, locate, and evaluate those who need special education and related services. 

IDENTIFY

Individuals concerned about a student currently enrolled in a Hamilton County school can contact the child’s school principal.

Assessment Team members may include:

Parents / guardians, school psychologist, SLP, teacher, school counselor, social worker, principal, and other assessment specialists (if appropriate).

LOCATE

School-Based RTI2 Data Review Teams may:

·      Review data in the area(s) of concern

·      Brainstorm ideas to address specific concerns in the classroom

·      Consider hearing, vision, health, nutrition, and environmental factors

·      Determine interventions and who implements

·      Discuss future actions, progress, and outcomes

EVALUATE

When referred for a special education evaluation, an Assessment Team meeting will convene.  A multi-disciplinary Assessment Team is a team of individuals that complete evaluation components aimed at establishing a student’s present levels of performance; considering the student’s strengths and needs; and determining if a student meets TDOE eligibility standards for a suspected educational disability. Academic readiness / achievement, cognition, adaptive behavior, motor, social, and emotional are among the areas that may be evaluated.

Who Can Refer Children to Child Find Services?

·      Parents / Guardians

·      Health Care Providers

·      Community Agencies

·      Child Care Programs

Areas of suspected disability include:

Ø  Autism

Ø  Developmental Delay

Ø  Functional Delay

Ø  Intellectual Disability

Ø  Specific Learning Disability

Ø  Speech and Language Impairments

Ø  Vision or Hearing Impairments

Ø  Other Health Impairments

Ø  Orthopedic Impairments

Ø  Emotional Disturbance

Ø  Intellectually Gifted

Who Can I Contact?

v For students enrolled in a Hamilton County school, contact your principal.

v For students 2.5-5 years old, contact Hamilton County’s Amy Piazza Preschool  Assessment Center: 423-498-7200 (Carrie Melford, Secretary)

v For private school students, contact Hamilton County’s Private & Homeschool Assessment Team: 423-498-7240 (Wendy Davis, School Psychologist)

v For children under 2.5 years, contact TEIS: 1-800-852-7157

v Additional resources may be available by contacting your preschool, daycare, doctor, and / or local health department.