with the child?s family to develop what is known as an Individualized Family Services Plan, or IFSP. The IFSP will describe the child?s unique needs as well as the services he or she will receive to address those needs. The IFSP will also emphasize the unique needs of the family, so that parents and other family members will know how to help their young child with intellectual disability. Early intervention services may be provided on a sliding-fee basis, meaning that the costs to the family will depend upon their income.
To access early intervention services in your area, consult NICHCY?s State Resource Sheet for your state. It?s available online at: https://nichcy.org/state-organization-search-by-state
There, you?ll find a listing for early intervention under the first section, State Agencies. The agency listed will be able to put you in contact with the early intervention program in your community.
To learn more about early intervention, including how to write the IFSP, visit NICHCY at: https://nichcy.org/babies/overview/
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Help for School-Aged Children
Just as IDEA requires that early intervention be made available to babies and toddlers with disabilities, it requires that special education and related services be made available free of charge to every eligible child with a disability, including preschoolers (ages 3-21). These services are specially designed to address the child?s individual needs associated with the disability?in this case, an

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