What Are They Talking About?
A | B | C | E | F | H | I | M | N | O | R | S | T
Advocate – someone who supports or defends a child’s interests and rights.
Assessment – initial & on-going observations used to identify a child’s needs and strengths; the family’s concerns, priorities, and resources; and the type and range of services needed
At Risk – term used for children who may, in the future, have problems with their development that may affect learning or development.
Battelle Developmental Inventory 2nd Edition (BDI-2) – an evaluation tool used by ECI programs across the State of Texas to find out the nature and extent of the child’s abilities, delays or difficulties, and to determine whether a child is eligible for ECI services. As part of the evaluation, ECI professionals will observe the child, ask the child to do things and talk to the parent about the child’s abilities.
Cognitive – the process used for remembering, reasoning, understanding, and making decisions
Confidentiality – the right that personal information is not released without parent consent or only when permitted or required by law.
Consent – parental approval, generally in writing. Consent is always voluntary and a parent may revoke it at any time.
Eligibility – requirements the child must meet to receive ECI services
Evaluation – process to determine the child’s eligibility by gathering information about the how the child performs certain tasks, the family’s concerns, priorities and resources
Family Cost Share – the maximum amount of money that a family will pay per month for ECI services based on a sliding scale.
Home Visit – an appointment with an ECI professional that occurs in the family’s home, where the child is in a familiar and comfortable setting
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) – federal legislation permitting all states to apply for funding to plan and implement early intervention programs
Individualized Education Plan (IEP) – the plan for services in public school education programs that children with disabilities may enter when they reach 36 months
Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) – a written plan for the child’s and family’s services
IFSP Team – includes at least 2 professionals from different expertise (such as speech or education), who share knowledge of their area of expertise. They work with the family to plan services for the child & family. The team includes the family, the child’s service coordinator, other family members and/or advocates.
Intake – when an ECI professional meets with the family & their child to learn more about ECI and talk about what your child might need
Milestone – an action or event marking a significant change or stage in a child’s development
Natural Environment – a place that is familiar & comfortable for the child – where they live, learn and play, such as the family’s home, child care center or other community setting
Outcomes – the results the family desires for their child and family. The IFSP team determines these outcomes and uses them in the IFSP
Referral to ECI – when a person contacts ECI because they are concerned that a child may need ECI services because of a suspected developmental delay or disability
Request an Evaluation – see “Referral to ECI”
Respite – temporary child care that may be available to families of children with disabilities, which may occur in the child’s home or another place
Screening – process conducted by an ECI professional to determine the child’s developmental status by assessing whether he/she is learning important skills and developing like other his/her age
Service Coordination – when an ECI professional helps the child and family access services, provides information about ECI services, and finds other resources in the community
Specialized Skills Training (SST) – is rehabilitative services to promote age-appropriate development & training of skills to correct deficits
Transition – process that begins prior to a child turning 3 years of age in preparation for moving services from ECI to another program, such as the local school district, Head Start, or other services in the community. All children graduate from ECI at 36 months.