Birth to 3 years old
Resources available for your age group
Early Intervention (EI) program
Provides services to help your child grow and learn during the first 3 years of life. Serves families of children from birth to age 3 who have developmental delays or disabilities, or who are at risk for developmental delays.
Get started by calling our office to make a referral for Child and Family Connections (CFC). Anyone can call to refer a child. Participation is voluntary. The referral phone number is 815-768-3730 or 800-244-8008 (toll free).
After a referral is made, you will meet with a service coordinator to talk about your concerns and then you will meet with service providers to help evaluate your child’s development and to determine whether your child is eligible for early intervention support and services.
If your child is eligible, you will work with a team of professionals to develop an individualized plan for services based on goals you and the team have chosen. Services might include developmental, speech, occupational or physical therapy.
Early Intervention services are provided at a convenient time for your family and in familiar places where your child learns and plays (like your home, child care center, the park or the library). Your child will learn new skills within your family’s daily routine, like meal time, play time, story time, or bath time.
Before your child turns 3, you and your team will develop a plan to help your child make the transition to preschool or other community programs so your child can continue to grow and learn.
For more information on the Illinois Early Intervention program, please watch this video produced in collaboration with the University of Illinois Office of Public Engagement, Illinois Department of Human Services, and Shatterglass Studios. In this video, families and EI providers discuss the many benefits of Early Intervention services for children and their families. To view video, please press here->http://go.illinois.edu/IntrotoEI.
