What Special Education Services Do Babies and Toddlers Get?
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Understanding Special Education for 0 to 2 Year Olds
This post shouldn’t really be in the What Do You Get With an IEP section because from birth to age 3, children do not actually get IEPs. Instead, they are served under Individual Family Service Plans (IFSPs). While preschools and K-12 students are covered under IDEA Part B, the youngest children are covered under IDEA Part C. The rules and service models are really different– which makes sense because you can’t serve a baby the same way you do an 18 year old.
At the youngest ages, special education is a lot about working in homes with families on meeting the needs of their child. The kids identified at this age tend to have more significant needs, often identified by doctors at birth or in early check ups.
Special education is a field with a lot of teacher burnout. The teachers who work with this population are the exception. They tend to love their jobs and leave only at retirement. The paperwork is different and working directly with families can be incredibly rewarding.
What Does Special Education Look Like for 0 to 2 Year Olds?
How do schools identify disabilities in babies and toddlers?
At this age, there are not disability categories. The children are too young. Child find is still in effect, however. Districts are obligated to find young children with delays or who have high probabilities of having a delay. At this age, most referrals are medical. The child has something like Downs Syndrome that is easily identifiable early on. Referrals can come from parents or doctors or local rehabilitation centers. These are often children who are receiving supports from multiple different agencies.
What OSERS says about identification:
An infant or toddler with a disability is defined as an individual under 3 years of age who needs
early intervention services because the individual is experiencing a developmental delay in one or more of
the five developmental areas listed previously or has a diagnosed physical or mental condition that has a
high probability of resulting in developmental delay (see IDEA, Section 632(5)(A)). States have the
authority to define the level of developmental delay needed for Part C eligibility (see IDEA, Section
635(a)(1)). States also have the authority to define other Part C eligibility criteria. For example, at a
State’s discretion, infants or toddlers with a disability may also include (1) individuals younger than 3
years of age who would be at risk of having substantial developmental delay if they did not receive early
intervention services and (2) individuals 3 years of age and older with disabilities who are eligible to
receive preschool services under IDEA, Part B, Section 619, until such individuals are eligible to enter
kindergarten or an earlier timeframe, consistent with 34 Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.) § 303.211
(see IDEA, Section 632(5)(B))
Where do babies and toddlers get special education services?
90% of all children in this age group receive special education services in their homes (OSERS, 2024). Some children might be served in hospitals or at clinics, but almost all are served in their homes– which matches what an Individual Family Service Plan promises. That is support for the family, not just the child.
What do services look like for babies and toddlers?
At ages 0 to 2, services tend to focus on home visits and working with the family on meeting their child’s disability related needs. It also often includes assistive technology to help the child communicate, nursing and nutritional support, related services like audiology or communication support or physical therapy, and direct instruction to the child or in coordination with the family (OSSE). With school age children, schools are often in the driver seats in terms of services. With the 0 to 2 age group, families are. Services are in their home and designed to support them in meeting the needs of their child.
What IDEA says about early intervention services
(d) Early intervention services.
(1) The IFSP must include a statement of the specific early intervention services, based on peer-reviewed research (to the extent practicable), that are necessary to meet the unique needs of the child and the family to achieve the results or outcomes identified in paragraph (c) of this section, including—
…..
(4) For children who are at least three years of age, the IFSP must include an educational component that promotes school readiness and incorporates pre-literacy, language, and numeracy skills.
(e) Other services. To the extent appropriate, the IFSP also must—
(1) Identify medical and other services that the child or family needs or is receiving through other sources, but that are neither required nor funded under this part; and
(2) If those services are not currently being provided, include a description of the steps the service coordinator or family may take to assist the child and family in securing those other services.
