Early Intervention

A child crawling on a blanket outside

Illinois has an extensive Part C Early Intervention Program designed to provide developmental supports and services to families/caregivers and their children with developmental delays or disabilities.

Some of the services available through the Illinois Early Intervention Program include service coordination, evaluations and assessments, individualized family service plans, aka IFSPs, and up to 16 core services if determined necessary for families/caregivers and their children, from a large network of skilled providers.

Once a child is found eligible, Early Intervention Providers work with the family/caregiver to develop strategies to meet family/caregiver developed functional outcomes based on the unique needs of the child so that those strategies may be embedded into the child’s daily routines.

The following sites provide additional information and resources in regard to Early Intervention:

  • Early Intervention - Learn more about the Illinois Early Intervention Program
  • Family-Focused Information - Basic information on the Illinois Early Intervention Program
  • Child Find/Public Awareness Materials - Information on a variety of Child Find/Public Awareness materials for both Part C Early Intervention and Part B Early Childhood with the ability to order paper copies free of charge. 
  • Transition Planning Conference - A video series developed by parents, early intervention, and early childhood personal to provide information as your child transitions from Early Intervention services to early childhood services.

Early CHOICES and the Early Intervention Training Program at the University of Illinois announces a new series Understanding Inclusion. This is a series of bite-size videos with embedded resources and activities to help understand, promote, and advocate for inclusion for children birth to age 5 developed with families for families. Each topic has a guide to support understanding and provide resources on the topic. Topic guides can be used as a companion tool for the learner and as a stand-alone tool to help facilitate discussions and extended learning opportunities. Visit the Early CHOICES website to view the topics and the supporting topic guides. 

To find an Early Intervention Child and Family Connections Office (CFC) serving your address by county or by zip code, please go to the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) Office Locator.