1342.12 Companion

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1342.12 Companion
July 12, 2017 Page 28
Persons Responsible for Child Find
E4 S 2 p 24, 25
DoDEA, in cooperation with military departments, shall conduct ongoing Child Find activities that are
designed to identify all children with suspected disabilities who are, or will be, entitled to enroll in
DoDEA and may require special education and related services. Each school, in conjunction with other
community resources, augments installation Child Find efforts to alert the local community to available
programs and services for children with disabilities. It is suggested that where more than one school
serves a military base or small geographic area, the schools and other groups work cooperatively to
avoid duplication of effort.
The Special Education Department at each school is responsible for overseeing the ongoing Child Find
activities and should maintain a log of those activities. Professionals with knowledge of developmental
milestones and specific disabilities should be included in conducting Child Find activities. Professionals
who meet this criterion would include:
1. Special Education Teachers (Preschool Services for Children with Disabilities [Learning Impaired,
Speech/Language], etc.);
2. School Nurses;
3. School Psychologists;
4. General Education Teachers;
5. Child Development Center personnel;
6. Medical Treatment Facility, including Educational and Developmental Intervention Services
(EDIS) personnel;
7. Military services such as, but not limited to, Exceptional Family Members Program (EFMP);
Military Family Life Counselor (MFLC); School Based Health Services (SBHS).
Publicity for Child Find activities, to ensure community awareness of the mission of Child
Find, is an important task of the Special Education Department. Child Find awareness and
activities should be a coordinated effort with the military department, schools, related
services and community agencies, developing an effective publicity campaign to ensure all
children between birth to age 21 are identified.
Community Child Find Activities:
General types of identification activities carried out by the Special Education Department include the
following:
1. Discuss Child Find in parent bulletins and through parent-teacher groups.
2. Display Child Find posters prominently in schools and community settings.
3. Publicize Child Find activities through local community publications and other media including
school/district websites.
4. Distribute literature and offer to speak about child find activities at local clubs or civic
organizations, school advisory committees, parent organizations, advocacy groups, and
community services organizations.
5. Conduct on-going community screenings established in coordination with military medical
authorities, installation social workers and mental health providers, chaplains, etc., for children
who are not enrolled in school (i.e. ages three through five).