Navigating Life's Transitions
Early Childhood
If your child is under 3, you should be engaged with Early Intervention (EI). The EI team helps with priorities related to your child’s development and finds ways to support your child during everyday activities. You’ll receive significant coaching and support from your Early Intervention team, so don’t hesitate to ask your service coordinator for any guidance. After your child completes Early Intervention, you can still reach out to your EI team for informational support as new questions arise. Contact our Introduction and Eligibility team if you are not yet receiving EI services or other age-appropriate support from Hamilton County DD Services.
You can begin your planning by considering the three primary factors below. While each of these factors will impact the others, the one you start with will be specific to your family.
Learn more about these guides, including how they’re organized and how to get the most out of each guide, on the Transition Guide Home Page.
Identify Your Vision for the Future
The level of support will be different after your child completes Early Intervention. Identifying a vision for your child’s future can help you get the most out of early childhood services.
Charting the Life Course is a set of tools that can help you identify life goals and make a plan to achieve those goals. You can use each Life Course tool alone or as part of a more comprehensive toolbox that can grow with your child. Learn more about these free tools on their website. The Life Course Trajectory Tool is a good place to start.
Be Your Own Advocate
As a parent, you know your child best and have the right to speak up for your child. Learning how to advocate for your child, and teaching them how to advocate for themselves, is an important skill to learn early.
The OCECD is a statewide nonprofit organization that helps parents become informed and effective representatives for their children in all educational settings. Learn more on their website.
Plan for What Comes After EI
At this young age, it can feel like everything moves so fast. That’s why it’s helpful to begin planning immediately for your child’s life after they complete Early Intervention (EI). The planning tools from Charting the Life Course can be a good starting point as you prepare for the future.
During this time, it’s often helpful for parents to make as many connections as possible, including to other parents, disability-related groups, play groups, and local resources. By building these connections early, you’ll learn from experts and experienced parents and feel equipped for the future. You can find links to some of these local resources on our website.
At age three and again at age 6, HCDDS is required to confirm that your child is eligible to continue to receive services. Your EI service coordinator will work on this process with you and your team.
As your child approaches their third birthday, it’s important to consider what support will be appropriate after Early Intervention services end. This might include daycare or preschool. Your family’s EI service coordinator will support you through the transition process and finding the most appropriate placement. You can also contact 4C for Children, our regional childcare resource and referral agency that assists families in finding quality childcare options.
Other Considerations
Other important things to consider when you’re planning for life transitions in childhood might include:
Many local organizations, including those mentioned above, maintain email lists that share events, training, resources, and more. Signing up for several lists, even those targeted to specific disabilities, can provide valuable information and keep you informed about important timelines or local events. You can find links to some of these local resources on our website.
There are several local organizations for specific diagnoses, including the Down Syndrome Association of Greater Cincinnati, the Autism Society of Greater Cincinnati, the Spina Bifida Coalition, the Regional Autism Advisory Council, and more. These groups are a great way to connect with others, build a support network, and find valuable resources. You can also speak with your EI Service Coordinator for recommendations of other active local groups.
More Info
If you have questions or are looking for guidance during this stage, reach out to your EI service coordinator. If you are not yet receiving Early Intervention services, contact Ohio’s Help Me Grow Central Intake and Referral system at (513) 434-3322 or complete the secure web-based referral form here.
Contact our Introduction and Eligibility team if your child is three years of age or older and is not yet receiving support from Hamilton County DD Services.
If you’d like to dig deeper, the following links provide additional resources.
- The Cincinnati Children’s Hospital has compiled an extensive Special Needs Resource Directory.
- Charting the Life Course is a framework and a set of tools to help you organize your ideas, vision, and goals and problem-solve, navigate, and advocate for support. Learn more about these free tools on their website.
- The Global Down Syndrome Foundation has created a Medical Care Guidelines document for families and caregivers. While specific to Down syndrome, the guide includes information on medical care that may be helpful to many families with different diagnoses.
- STABLE accounts allow people with disabilities of all ages to save and plan for the future without losing eligibility for public benefits programs like Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). Learn more about STABLE Accounts here.
- As you’re thinking about this life transition and what comes next, you might also find it helpful to look ahead to the School Age Transition Guide.
