Helping children with a disabilities as early in their lives as possible is essential. There are many useful sites listed in our pages on Education and Just for Parents; in addition, the following sites focus on the youngest children.
Dedicated to promoting policies and practices that support families and enhance the optimal development of children from birth through age eight, this professional organization’s web site offers position statements and policies, governmental information and children action network alerts, listservs, links, and related material.
Based at Utah State University, EIRI is “an interdisciplinary group of researchers currently funded by a variety of federal, state, and private grants and contracts to conduct research on efficacy questions and other areas of concern, to collect cost and cost-effectiveness data, to develop demonstration programs, to provide technical assistance, and to disseminate information regarding these activities. ” The web site includes information about EIRI and its projects.
NECTAS is a technical support program focusing on programs for young children with disabilities and their families under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Its web site includes detailed information about federal projects relating to IDEA, early intervention programs, preschool grants programs, early childhood projects, and more.
This NICHCY guide answers questions about accessing early intervention services for infants and toddlers (birth through 2 years), and includes information on how to identify programs within your state, and how to identify and access special education programs for preschoolers with disabilities (ages 3-5). Also available in Spanish.
This national, nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the healthy development of babies and young children offers a wealth of information about child development for parents and professionals.