Home Infant Toddler Program Parent Handbook

What Is A Child Service Coordinator?

A Child Service Coordinator is a person on your early intervention team who works with you to find services to meet your child and family’s needs. Most families begin working with a Child Service Coordinator as soon as their child is referred to the Infant-Toddler Program. Some families may have a Child Service Coordinator before being referred to the Infant-Toddler Program.

The Child Service Coordinator is your main contact with the Infant-Toddler Program. Federal and state laws require that children and families served by the Infant-Toddler Program have a Child Service Coordinator.

Child Service Coordinators:

1. Help families identify their strengths and needs, find resources, think about decisions, and coordinate all the services being received, and
2. Make sure that the rights of children and families are protected.

Your family may choose to carry out the first of these on your own. However, the law says that the Infant-Toddler Program must provide someone to protect your legal rights.

A Child Service Coordinator should offer the type and amount of help that you want. He/she should respect your decisions and help you carry them out.

You have a choice in selecting your Child Service Coordinator. The choice of Child Service Coordinator is based on factors such as:

• who you prefer
• how much the person will be involved with you
• how convenient the location of the service is to you
• how long the Child Service Coordinator might be working with you.

Some agencies in your community have Child Service Coordinators and some do not. Your Child Service Coordinator may or may not provide other early intervention services for your family.

The person serving as your Child Service Coordinator can change if your child's and family's needs and desires change. If you want to have a different Child Service Coordinator, you may make a request directly to your Child Service Coordinator or his/her supervisor. Local agencies that provide Child Service Coordination will try to fulfill your request.

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