Latest posts…
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IDHS Requests Public Comments for Proposed Changes to Early Intervention Rules
The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) is proposing changes to the Early Intervention Program Administrative Code and is soliciting public comments about these proposed changes.
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Assessments for Illinois Early Intervention
Providers can sign up for an on-site preview of newly approved assessment tools.
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Volume 38, Issue 4 (Winter 2026)
The Winter 2026 newsletter highlights how everyday, screen-free play can make a powerful difference in early intervention.
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Healthy Screen Habits Help Families Thrive
In today’s world where technology is everywhere, it is important to be aware of healthy screen habits, especially for families of young children. During the early years, children’s brains are developing rapidly, and the quality of their interactions with caregivers has a powerful impact on communication, social–emotional development, and learning. Parents can feel overwhelmed about…
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Information Notice – Pause on Planned Implementation of Family Fees
The planned implementation of family participation fees will be paused until further notice.
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Caregiver Leadership Training: Learn to be an advocate for your child
The Early Intervention Leadership Program is designed to empower caregivers and parents participating in early intervention to advocate for their children and family.
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Play Buffet: 12 Months to 24 Months
Children learn best through play. The Play Buffet is a way to think about offering your child a variety of play experiences — just like choosing from different foods at a buffet. Here are some toy and activity ideas to support development from birth to 12 months. Many activities build skills in more than one…
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Play Buffet: 24 Months to 36 Months
Children learn best through play. The Play Buffet is a way to think about offering your child a variety of play experiences — just like choosing from different foods at a buffet. Here are some toy and activity ideas to support development from birth to 12 months. Many activities build skills in more than one…
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Play Buffet: Birth to 12 Months
Children learn best through play. The Play Buffet is a way to think about offering your child a variety of play experiences — just like choosing from different foods at a buffet. Here are some toy and activity ideas to support development from birth to 12 months. Many activities build skills in more than one…
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Play Buffet: Incorporating Play into Daily Routines
Children learn best through play. The Play Buffet is a way to think about offering your child a variety of play experiences — just like choosing from different foods at a buffet. Each type of play supports different areas of development. These include Cognitive/Fine Motor, Language/Communication, Sensory, Gross Motor, and Social/Emotional. By making sure that…
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Early Intervention Town Hall Meeting for Families
Family Town Hall Meeting information for 2025
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for GLOBO Interpreting
This FAQ provides quick answers to common questions about GLOBO interpretation services. Use it as a guide to better understand our process and get the support you need. Please note: This temporary, backup solution will assist Child & Family Connections staff and early intervention providers when an Illinois early intervention enrolled interpreter is not available. How…
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Non-English Resource Guides
This topical guide will introduce you to important books, videos, and information resources available from the EI Clearinghouse and other sources in languages other than English or Spanish. For Spanish resources, please see the full list of resource guides here. Contact us via online form or by phone (1-877-275-3227) to request a resource from the pages listed…
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Annual Open House – Cookies at the Clearinghouse
Join us on Thursday, December 12 from 2:00 – 5:00 pm for a fun, festive event!
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Communication, Collaboration and Teaming
EIC Resources
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Spending Time in the Hospital
EIC Resources Family Stories Tip Sheets Books for Parents Books for Children Detailed borrowing information for these books can be found below.
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IFSP Toolbox
An Individualized Family Service Plan is developed for every child receiving services through the Illinois early intervention program.
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Check Out the Early Intervention Clearinghouse Bilingual Kits
The Early Intervention Clearinghouse offers a wonderful selection of bilingual kits designed for both English- and Spanish-speaking families. This collection includes both game kits and resource kits. Each game kit is designed for up to four players and comes with a bilingual book, game pieces, and a zipper case that unfolds into the game board.…
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Check Out Our New Family Activity Kits
The Early Intervention Clearinghouse is excited to release our new collection of family activity kits! The Family Yoga Kits and Family Fun Kits are designed to encourage playful interaction between parents and children through a variety of engaging activities. Each kit includes items such as books, flashcards, and games that promote hand-eye coordination, vocabulary development,…
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Parent Training and Information Centers
Parent Training and Information Centers (PTIC) are funded to provide information and training to parents of children of all ages (birth to 26).
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Volume 38, Issue 3 (Fall 2025)
This edition of the newsletter highlights how speech and language are the most common delays in early intervention.
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Speech and Language Are EI’s Most Common Delays
Many families seek early intervention for concerns about their child’s speech. Delays in language are the most common type of developmental delay. A child’s first three years are the most intensive period for acquiring speech and language skills. These skills develop best in an environment filled with a variety of sights, sounds and consistent exposure…
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Parents and Caregivers – Share your experience with the IDEC!
The Illinois Department of Early Childhood (IDEC) is partnering with ChiByDesign to improve how families access early childhood services across the state. The IDEC needs your voice in co-creating a more seamless, anti-racist early childhood education and care experience in Illinois. If you are a parent or caregiver with children aged birth – 5, and…
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Illinois Early Intervention Experiences: Janae’s Story
In this video, Janae shares her experience as a mother who has enrolled her child in the Illinois Early Intervention program. She provides her insight by answering seven questions:
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Illinois Early Intervention Experiences: Cassie’s Story
In this video, Cassie shares her experience as a mother who has enrolled her child in the Illinois Early Intervention program. She provides her insight by answering five questions:
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Illinois Early Intervention Experiences: Caitlyn’s Story
In this video, Caitlyn shares her experience as a mother who has enrolled her children in the Illinois Early Intervention program. She provides her insight by answering six questions:
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Illinois Early Intervention Experiences: Brittany’s Story
In this video, Brittany shares her experience as a mother who has enrolled her children in the Illinois Early Intervention program. She provides her insight by answering seven questions:
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Illinois Early Intervention Experiences: Andrea’s Story
In this video, Andrea shares her experience as a mother who has enrolled her children in the Illinois Early Intervention program. She provides her insight by answering five questions:
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Confidentiality and Safety with Remote Video Interpretation
We understand that families utilizing interpretation services may have specific and valid concerns about the privacy and security of their personal information during interpreted sessions. Here’s how Video Remote Interpreting (VRI) protects your privacy…
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Blindness and Visual Impairment Resources
EIC Resources Tip Sheets Books for Parents Books for Children Detailed borrowing information for these books can be found below.
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Volume 38, Issue 2 (Summer 2025)
This Summer 2025 newsletter highlights how parents and caregivers can add everyday early Intervention into outdoor play.
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Adding Everyday Early Intervention into Outdoor Play
Warm weather means it is a great time to explore the outdoors and outside play is a wonderful opportunity to work on early intervention (EI) outcomes. Talk with your EI team about strategies and activities that may be especially useful for your family as you work on your EI outcomes. As you talk, you can…
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Volume 38, Issue 1 (Spring 2025)
The Spring 2025 newsletter highlights how establishing healthy sleep habits can help children feel safe and secure.
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Healthy Sleep Habits Help a Child Feel Safe and Secure
Healthy sleep habits can help a child feel safe and secure. A baby’s sleep patterns are constantly changing as a result of his or her development. Here’s what to expect as your child approaches new milestones: Birth to 12 Months 12 to 24 Months 24 to 36 Months The EI Clearinghouse has many resources on…
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Family Outcomes Survey
To evaluate the effectiveness of EI in achieving family outcomes, families are sent text with a link to the “Family Outcomes Survey” shortly after they leave EI. The survey includes questions focused on understanding children’s strengths, abilities, and needs, and EI’s ability to help them develop and learn.
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Volume 37, Issue 4 (Winter 2025)
The Winter 2025 newsletter highlights the release of the newly expanded Getting Started in Early Intervention: The Early Intervention Process page.
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Check Out the Early Intervention Clearinghouse Toolboxes!
The Early Intervention Clearinghouse staff has been busy making user-friendly digital toolboxes to help the early intervention community find answers to their questions. These one-stop-shop” resource collections provide information and links to a variety of tip sheets, online articles, videos, and more on specific topics. Toolboxes include Family Rights, Provider Toolbox, Live Video Visits &…
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Expanded Getting Started in Early Intervention Page
If a family has concerns about their child’s development or has been referred to early intervention, they may have questions about what the program entails and what happens next. Our Getting Started in Early Intervention: The Early Intervention Process page was designed to help answer those questions.
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Interpretation Services Toolbox
This guide will introduce early intervention professionals to the statewide interpretation service available when there are no enrolled early intervention interpreters available and a family communicates in a language other than English. This collection of information including downloadable PDFs and web resources are available to assist early intervention service coordinators and other Child & Family…
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Finding Community Resources
This guide will introduce you community resources for parents and families. Each community is unique, so not all services will look the same.
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Family Rights in Early Intervention
A collection of resources for families and professionals related to the expectations and rights a family is entitled to when they are referred to the early intervention program
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Grief Resources for Families
EIC Resources Resource Guide Books for Parents Books for Children Detailed borrowing information for these books can be found below.
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Providing Trauma-Informed Supports
The Early Childhood Collective (ECC) has a list of resources for training to increase awareness for everyone in this vital work with young children. For the list, see the collective’s Trauma and Neglect resource bundle.
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Families Can Borrow an iPad or Hotspot for Live Video Visits
Many EI families are receiving services by live video visits. To help families with technology needs, the EI Clearinghouse has added several technology devices to the lending library.
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Join the EIC Team
The EI Clearinghouse is seeking a new team member…
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Transition at Age 3: Who, What, Where, Why, and When
Planning for the transition process begins six months before your child turns 3…
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Volume 37, Issue 3 (Fall 2024)
The Fall 2024 newsletter highlights the release of the newly revised Family Guide for the Illinois Early Intervention Program.
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Newly Revised Early Intervention Family Guide Available
It is our pleasure to introduce you to the newly revised Family Guide for the Illinois Early Intervention Program…
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Making a Referral to Early Intervention
Anyone can refer a child to early intervention. The program relies most on “primary referral sources” such as parents, physicians and other health care providers, child care providers, social service agencies, and early learning programs.
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Intake
At your first meeting a service coordinator will explain the EI program and help plan evaluations and assessments. This is called an intake meeting.
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Participate in Evaluations and Assessments
Your knowledge makes you an important partner on your child’s team. The team will include you, your service coordinator, and at least two other EI providers.
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Develop the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP)
You should have a meeting to develop the IFSP as soon as possible but no later than 45 days from your child’s referral to the EI program. There are no charges or costs for developing the plan. Your service coordinator and IFSP team will help you: What Is an IFSP? The Individualized Family Service Plan…
Got any book recommendations?