Child Find

Helping Every Child Thrive in Jeffco

We understand that every family and culture has its own ways of helping children learn and grow. Our team partners with families to honor their experiences, languages, and traditions while supporting each child’s unique strengths and needs.

As parents, you want the very best for your child's growth and development. Here in Jeffco, we share that goal. That's why we have Child Find, a free and confidential service designed to help families understand if their child might need extra support with their learning or development.

Our Child Find process helps Jeffco Public Schools locate and identify all children, ages 3 through 21, who may have a disability so they can receive the special education services to help them learn and grow.

For more detailed information, please visit the Colorado Department of Education's Child Find page.

For our youngest learners, from birth to age 3, there's a related program called Early Intervention. At Jeffco, we partner with the Developmental Disabilities Resource Center (DDRC) and A & I Avenues to provide crucial early support and services for infants and toddlers who have developmental delays or disabilities.

You can learn more about our Early Intervention partners here:

• DDRC Early Intervention
• A & I Avenues Early Intervention

Child Find is here to help families in Jeffco with kids who:

• Live in Jeffco and are between 3 and 21 years old. These are kids who might need extra help with things like learning, talking, moving, playing, or seeing and hearing.
• Are almost ready for preschool (ages 3 to 5) and live in Jeffco. If you have questions about how your little one is growing and learning, we're here for you.
• Are taught at home in Jeffco and are between 3 and 21 years old. Please reach out if you think your homeschooled child might have a learning challenge.
• Go to a private school in Jeffco and are between 3 and 21 years old. For these students, Child Find is usually handled by the school district where you live.
• Go to a special private preschool in Jeffco (ages 3 to 5). If this preschool meets certain rules, then Jeffco Public Schools, where the preschool is located, is responsible for Child Find.

You can learn more about these rules here: Colorado Department of Education's Child Identification Guidelines.

Throughout every step of the process, we work in partnership with families. We listen to your questions and ideas, and interpreters are available if you prefer to communicate in another language. Our goal is to make this process supportive, respectful, and easy to understand.

If you're worried about your child, calling Child Find is the first step. You can call us at 303-982-7247. You can also start the process by filling out a Child Find Referral Forms - Available Languages

Here's what you can expect from the process:

1. Reach Out: Contact our Child Find team to share your concerns and ask questions or complete the child find referral below.
2. Gathering Information: We'll talk with you to understand your child's development and any specific worries you have.
3. Screening (for younger children): For preschool aged children, we may offer a brief, informal look at your child's skills in different areas.
4. Evaluation (if needed): If there are indicators that your child might need extra support, we may conduct a more thorough evaluation. This helps us understand your child's specific strengths and needs. These evaluations are free for families.
5. Determining Eligibility: Based on the evaluation, we'll work with you to determine if your child is eligible for special education services.
6. Developing a Plan (IEP): If your child is eligible, we'll create an Individualized Education Program (IEP) – an individualized plan that outlines their learning goals and the supports and services they will receive.
7. Connecting to Services: We'll help connect you with the appropriate special education services within Jeffco Public Schools. For preschool aged children with an IEP, this often means a spot in a free Jeffco preschool classroom.