Early Start Services
ABOUT EARLY START SERVICES
SBCEO serves 125 at-risk infants and toddlers from birth to age 3 throughout Santa Barbara County.
At-risk infants and toddlers are served in the family’s naturally occurring environments focusing on family supports.
Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP) addresses strengths, needs of the infant or toddler, parent concerns, and early intervention services.
The earliest years of a child’s life are critical and the most important time to access support for a developmental delay or special need.
If a parent, family member, caregiver, or professional has a concern about a child’s development, it is best to identify the concern as soon as possible.
The California Department of Education (CDE) oversees the California State Department of Developmental Services programs for Early Start, which provides intervention services for families with infants or toddlers with developmental delays or disabilities.
There are many local resources for new parents coping with varied challenges including behavioral wellness, postpartum distress, family crisis, workplace and professional concerns, and more.
Free parent education classes, counseling, job services, parent-to-parent support, and system navigation support are available.
RESOURCES
To refer an infant or toddler for Early Start Services, contact Tri-Counties Regional Center.